Silver Fox
by Spunky0ne
Summary: After being declared dead, Gin lives a quiet life in the Rukon where Central 46 and the Gotei 13 can't find him. But as the quincy war ends, he travels to see what he can scavenge from the wreckage. In the ruins of Kuchiki Manor, he finds an unexpected treasure. Should he keep it or should he give it back?...yaoi, mpregs...Gin/Tetsuya, Aizen/Gin, Ichi/Bya/Ichi, Kurushimi/Renji
1. Scavenger's Prize

**Silver Fox**

 **By Spunky0ne**

 **(A Gin/Tetsuya, Byakuya/Ichigo, Kurushimi/Renji romance requested by my sweet and supportive friend Aizenfan6969.** _ **Shima Kurushimi and his family appear courtesy of Shima-Taicho31!**_ **Yesterday was the beginning of Gin's birthday month, so this story seemed fitting.** **After mistakenly being declared dead, Gin lives a quiet life as a trader, well-hidden in the mid-Rukongai where Central 46 and the Gotei 13 can't find him. But as the quincy war ends and the Seireitei is left in a shambles, he travels to see what he can scavenge from the wreckage. In the ruins of Kuchiki Manor, he finds an unexpected treasure. Should he keep it or should he give it back? Is there a way it could help him to win redemption?...yaoi, mpregs)**

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 **Chapter 1: Scavenger's Prize**

 _It's gotten quiet_ , Gin noticed, turning his head to look in the direction of the Seireitei, _It seems like the worst of the fighting down here has stopped for now, and with the taichous and Ichigo up in the royal realm, destroying that, Central 46 will be locked down._

He pulled his long, shaggy silver hair back and fastened it into a tidier ponytail and headed down from the rise he had been observing from.

 _It would be fun to go and see Sousuke_ , he mused, chuckling to himself, _I sense him somewhere near where the Taichous were before they left. I wonder if he'd be happy to see even me after sitting alone in the dark for a while like he has. He hasn't moved from where I sensed him, not even when everyone else left for the royal realm. I imagine that means he's restrained somehow. Unfortunately, he probably has guards…men who would know me on sight. No…our reunion, should it come, will have to happen later. Right now, there are treasures to gather. I can probably gather enough to keep me comfortable for the rest of my life._

 _I might feel bad for stealing, but somehow watching Rangiku cry over Central 46 denying me even a proper burial for my fake dead body cured me of any need to extend courtesies to the noble houses whose sages passed judgment on me. I may have committed some crimes, but I did make clear who my real enemy was. Rangiku understood, as did a number of others I was touched to see attending my memorial. But the rich, snobby nobles saw only a criminal, not a man trying to avenge his friend. Well, they can take my haori, my military funeral and all of my past honors. They can scratch my name from Seireitei history if that's what they want. But…having done that, they can't fault me for taking something back…just enough to have my future paid for so that I won't miss what was taken from me._

 _Ah yes, with the noble families holed up in their safe retreats, their homes are ripe for pillaging._

 _But I must move quickly, before other unfortunate souls like me decide to do the same._

Gin slowed as he reached the bottom of the rise, stopping in front of a plain looking sales cart that was pulled by two aged, but well-kept horses. He climbed up into the seat at the front of the cart, then picked up the reins and whistled cheerfully to the horses, who moved into a comfortable walk. The streets were mostly empty and quiet, with most of the locals tucked into their locked and shuttered homes.

 _I must give the quincies full credit for laying the worst of the destruction on the Seireitei, the actual home of the ones who once tried to exterminate them. Yes, they left the Rukongai alone. Oddly, they made the Seireitei disappear and other buildings take their place, but something happened up there and the Seireitei returned. It will take time for the lower officers and soldiers left behind to organize any kind of protection for the abandoned noble properties, so I should be able to slip in and out with relative ease. Ah, but I should effect a small disguise, just in case._

Gin leaned back and fished a weathered, floppy hat out of his bag, employing it to obscure his features. He turned the horses out of town, heading for the west Seireitei gate.

 _That area was devastated, so there will be no guards on the entry._

He was careful to stop the cart within the forest, just short of the entrance, where he concealed the horses and cart and wrapped a dark cloak around his slender body. He moved silently through the trees as darkness began to fall, pausing just short of the shattered and tumbled gates to survey the area.

 _As I thought. There are still battles going on. They don't have time to worry about the already destroyed areas. This is going to be insanely easy!_

He knew already that the rich Saito estate laid a short distance away and was likely to contain more than he needed.

 _Even if it has already been scavenged a bit, I know of a few places others wouldn't. I was a guest at the estate a number of times while a taichou. I will just cut across the Kuchiki estate. There isn't likely much there, as Byakuya was never much for hoarding wealth or showing off. For a noble lord, he was actually rather likable. Maybe as a gesture, I will leave his home untouched. After all, he and the Kuchiki elders did not oppose me getting a respectful burial, once Rangiku made her plea to Central 46. I guess they figured me getting murdered by Sousuke was punishment enough._

 _I guess Inoue Orihime never let on how she saved my life. She is a sweet thing. I never thought she deserved what Aizen did to her…not that she remembers any of the worst of it. She should be thankful for that._

Gin paused as he reached the broken back gates that led into the Kuchiki main house gardens. His mood darkened somewhat, seeing the horrid damage to what had been the most beautiful gardens in the Seireitei. Trees had been brought down and shrubs torn out of the ground, the flowers ripped from the earth and the ground scorched by the fires that had raged through the buildings.

"Sad," he whispered, passing quietly through.

He touched nothing as he made his way along, his mind already focused on his intended target.

 _If the far wall is down, which I expect it will be, I will have protected access to the Saito estate and will not have to venture onto the street. There are likely to be some patrols._

He reached the end of the property and was pleased to find the wall down and the way to the Saito estate opened. Within moments, he had bypassed the most obvious areas, which had been picked clean by more reckless scavengers than he.

 _It looks like a few of them paid for it too_ , he noted as he passed several collapsed bodies, a few with a number of items still in the bags they clutched in their dead hands.

He was careful to be mindful of the reiatsu in the area, but found it wasn't necessary, as it looked like most assumed the best things were already looted.

" _Au contraire_ ," he mused, climbing carefully into a section of wreckage that he surmised would have been the guest bedrooms. He dropped down into the ruins and found a passable hallway, then followed it to the end. A hidden spot in the wall held a key that opened a secret door, which led into the estate's underground vault. Gin was cautious not to bother with that which was too recognizable or too large to be carried out easily. And when he was done plundering but two bags that would more than set him for life, he turned out of the vault and carefully locked it, placing the key in his pocket.

 _For future use, if need be._

He was relatively sure he wouldn't need to return, but Gin was also sure it was safest not to make assumptions.

He was rewarded for his caution as he spotted several approaching soldiers and was able to quietly slip away while the two built a fire and set up watch. He took up a position near enough to hear them, curious at the latest news.

"I don't know why that old guy was so hot to have us risk our lives out here, watching this wreck," one of the guards complained, "You can see it's been ransacked."

"Maybe," the second agreed, "but he's an important man. The high nobles tend to get what they want."

"They'd better hope then that the taichous and Kurosaki Ichigo are able to beat that guy, Ywach, or it isn't going to matter if there's anything of value left here. We're all dead."

"Cheery tonight, aren't you, Taro?" chuckled the second guard.

"Must be the company," Taro snickered, patting his comrade on the back and sitting down beside them.

The two set their backs to one of the less damaged walls and gazed up into the night sky, noting the occasional flashes of light.

"Looks like some tough fighting, eh, Nao?" Taro said, curling his hands behind his head and leaning back against some of the piled debris, "I hope they're doing better than they were when the quincies were waltzing through here, killing everyone."

"It didn't seem to matter," Nao sighed, "Taichous, officers, unseated fodder, we all got the same treatment. I heard that if Kurosaki hadn't shown up when he did, they would have just killed every shinigami here."

"I believe it."

Nao gave his comrade a sympathetic look.

"You're lucky you came back alive," he commented.

"Yeah," Taro agreed, his dark eyes clouding, "Hardly any of my unit did. What those bastard sternritters didn't crush, the damned soldats just came in and trampled. Last I heard, the death count was so high they just stopped counting. Squad four just started burning the bodies so that disease wouldn't set in with rotting carcasses and vermin coming in droves to eat them."

"Ugh!" Nao groaned, reaching into his breast pocket and removing a flask he took a sip from, then handed to his partner, "What do you say we stop talking about it? It's ugly enough out here without rehashing how bad things are."

"You're right," Taro agreed, accepting the flask and drinking deeply, "We made it this far. As long as Kurosaki and the taichous win, we'll probably live. And if they don't, it'll be good to be drunk so that we won't feel it when we die."

Gin shook his head and sighed softly, shifting the weight of the bags on his shoulder before heading back through the broken wall that separated the Saito and Kuchiki estates. He ambled through the abandoned Kuchiki grounds, humming softly to himself and smiling at his success in securing a much improved future from the ones who had disrespected him.

 _I wonder if the worlds would really miss us shinigamis if the quincies destroy us. Given that the nobles who run everything are pretty much only out to improve things for themselves, I think the regular souls don't need shinigamis pushing them around. It would be different if there were more nobles like the ones in Byakuya's family. He used to be cold, like the rest of them, but he changed after Ichigo came along._

 _Yes, I noticed the different look to him after their battle. It wasn't just that Byakuya began to respect Kurosaki. I saw something else sparking in there. I wonder if this war has started a fire between those two. I wouldn't be surprised. Byakuya used to be quite a fun little rebel. Kurosaki's spirit has to appeal to that. I…_

Gin was pulled out of his thoughts by a soft, muffled groan that issued from somewhere in the darkness to his left. He froze for a moment, peering into the bushes, a little twinge of surprise going through him as he spotted someone clawing at the ground, dragging a muddy and blood soaked body out into the open.

"Oh, that doesn't look good," Gin breathed, pulling a long knife out from within his clothes.

He moved warily closer, watching through slitted eyes as a shaft of moonlight touched the person, illuminating his torn uniform that marked him as a house guard of the Kuchiki family.

 _I would prefer not to have to kill anyone, and it looks like this poor thing won't last much longer anyway. But there's no need for the lad to suffer. I hate seeing people suffer. Well, undeserving ones anyway._

He moved closer, studying the lovely young man's face as he rolled onto his back, panting harshly as he rested for a moment.

 _What a pretty mess._

"Why, hello there," he greeted the fallen man, setting his bags in the bushes and moving forward to kneel at the young man's side, "You're not looking well at all."

The moon shone in the young man's eyes as he turned them on Gin, striking him with their unnatural beauty. Gemlike sapphire orbs locked on him and the young man's mouth moved.

"Are you going to k-kill me?" he asked.

Gin gave him an oddly gentle smile and brushed several misbehaving strands of pretty raven hair out of his eyes.

"It looks like someone has already done that," he observed, "I'm not really a killer, just sort of an opportunist. I won't hurt you, but I don't know if I can stop you from dying. You're pretty beat up. I don't suppose you'll bribe me to save you?"

"B-bribe?" the man stammered, blinking.

"Well," Gin teased, leaning over the young man and carefully peeling back his clothing, "you don't expect me to risk getting killed myself without some compensation, ne? There is still plenty of danger from roaming quincies and some soldiers of questionable virtue, after all."

His smile warmed at the confused look the injured man gave him.

"Do you have a name?" Gin asked.

"Ah," the man said, wincing as Gin's long fingers touched one of the jagged slashes on his chest and began to heal it, "I…everything is very fuzzy."

Gin looked more closely at him.

"Oh, that's a nasty head wound," he noticed, moving to address the swelling bump, "I'm not surprised your mind is a little scrambled."

"Who are you, exactly?" the young man asked him.

"The name is _Kitsune_ ," Gin told him, "I am a traveling vendor and minor healer. I usually go around the Rukongai, selling things or helping with healing. I came to the Seireitei to see if there was anything I could do to help. But there's not much to help, I am afraid. I found mostly bodies and destroyed buildings. Those quincies really made a mess of things."

"Quincies?"

Gin gave the man an amused look.

"That really is a nasty head wound," he chuckled, "I should take you somewhere safe. I'll give you a pain block so you won't mind so much being moved."

"Oh…ah!" the man objected, trying to pull away as Gin employed the pain block, "S-stop!"

"Take it easy," Gin chided him, "If I wanted you dead, then I would only have had to wait a little longer. Go to sleep. I'll take care of you, pretty thing."

The young man quivered, then his lovely sapphire eyes blinked and closed.

"That's a good boy," Gin chuckled, lifting him over a shoulder.

He quickly retrieved his stashed bags and hurried back through the ruins of Kuchiki Manor, his eyes watching the shadowed areas closely for any signs of movement and his senses attuned to any shifts in reiatsu. He had nearly reached his concealed cart, when the ground began to rumble warningly and he turned back to see signs of a huge explosion of some kind. His heart pounded as he recognized the heavy reiatsu of the deadly quincy king. He gripped the young man he carried and the bags of plundered treasures more tightly and ran.

 _Let's hope that freak just destroys the Seireitei and leaves the rest of us alone…_

More explosions threatened to knock him off his feet, and he felt a chill darkness spreading over the area. Gin burst out the shattered west side gates, fleeing into the brush, where he threw the injured man and his gathered booty into the cart and nudged the horses into a run.

"Time to be going," he sighed, looking back over his shoulder and shaking his head unhappily, "Kurosaki probably isn't dead, but he is sure taking his time. He had better win soon, or there won't be anyone left for him to save."

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Byakuya flash stepped at top speed through the ruins of the quincy king's palace, his eyes focused straight ahead and his senses locked on Rukia's weakened reiatsu. He swallowed hard, coughing at the intrusion of yet more smoke into his tasked lungs as he hurried towards the throne room.

"I don't sense Ichigo here anymore," Toshiro panted, moving up to run alongside him.

"No," Byakuya agreed, "He is farther away, as is Renji. They must have followed Ywach back down to the Seireitei."

"So, you think maybe we will be able to use whatever method they did to cross over?"

"Probably," Byakuya surmised, "If Ichigo and Renji were able to do so, we should be able to as well."

"Hopefully."

The two ran into the throne room and skidded to a halt as Rukia called out to them.

"Nii-sama! Hitsugaya taichou! Are you all right?"

"We are fine," Byakuya assured her, moving forward to where Rukia knelt at Orihime's side, "Do either of you require healing?"

"I'm not hurt badly," Rukia answered, "I was just healing Orihime so that we could go after Ichigo and Renji."

Byakuya considered for a moment, frowning and registering the explosions of power that resonated below them.

"No," he said firmly, "You and Orihime will remain here until the fight is over."

"Nii-sama?" Rukia inquired worriedly.

"There may still be enemies in the area, so Orihime will need your protection," Byakuya explained, "She needs to remain here, where she will be safe until the fighting is over. At that time, she will be needed to heal…those who might be injured."

Sudden comprehension registered in Rukia's eyes and she nodded in agreement.

"I understand, Nii-sama. I will protect Orihime while you and Hitsugaya taichou go to help Ichigo!"

Byakuya turned a dark eye on the billowing black portal Ywach had left behind.

"Is that how they returned to Soul Society?" he asked Rukia.

"Yes," Rukia answered, "It seemed like he wanted Ichigo to follow him, although he did threaten all of us that if we followed, he would find the happiest moment in our future and slaughter us there."

"If any of us has significant happiness in our future, that would be a concern," Byakuya sighed, "But enough. I am going."

"Be careful, Nii-sama," Rukia said as he turned away.

She blinked in surprise as he paused and looked back at her.

"I will," he promised.

Rukia smiled as he and Toshiro ran into the portal.

"Hey, wait for me!" Kenpachi yelled, pelting through the broken throne room doors and dashing into the portal.

Rukia sighed and glanced down at Orihime.

"Are you feeling all right now?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm all right now," Orihime assured her, sitting up and dusting herself off, "I'm just pretty tired."

"Nii-sama ordered us to wait here while Ichigo and the taichous follow Ywach. He wants to be sure you're well enough to heal whoever might be hurt."

Orihime smiled.

"He's worried about Ichigo," she surmised, "Ichigo told me that he likes your brother too."

Rukia sighed wearily.

"Now, if the two of them would just tell each other…"


	2. The Fox's Toy

**Chapter 2: The Fox's Toy**

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 **(Thanks a bunch to Tehwonderer (Here's a new chapter! So glad you like the story.), Ashesofthefirststar (Oh man! Now you've got the plot bunnies hopping all around me again! Eek! Ssssstop the bunnies! Stop the...oh, who am I kidding? Tell you what. I am working on the Ichigo's perspective story. I assume you are looking forward to an angsty, torn inner Ichigo that Byakuya begins to notice, even though no one else seems to get it? I like it...*plot bunnies surround Spunky and bury her in furry cuteness and too many good ideas*), Privatecaller (Aw, you're so sweet!), Wildwind13 (Sure! I have a chapter of Silver-White Night in progress right now!), Renji Rocks (No problem! Kuri and Renji start this chapter and will be a big part of the story too! :) Enjoy!), Yukino76 (Glad to have you along!), Swati Bose 90 (It's good to find others who appreciate Gin like I do. I love the image of him with long hair and maybe some short wild strands around his face. Gin is such a fun character to write!), Aizenfan6969 (I don't know if I have written Renji and Kuri together. I know I've been wanting to, so I'm giving it a try. Kuri and Renji are both wilder, less restrained types, but Renji at least tries to behave (mostly out of fear of Byakuya's displeasure). Kuri is going to get him into so much trouble!), Jess0409 (Yes, Gin loves to tease, and Tetsuya will be wearing a permanent blush by the time Gin's finished luring him! :) This will be fun!), and Black Cat Angel (Thanks a million! 3 You are sweet!)**

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Renji grunted dazedly and a whimper of agony escaped him as he began to come awake and found himself nearly buried in a pile of smoking debris. He wiggled his fingers and toes to make sure he still had both arms and legs, then tried to shift his body.

"F-fuck!" he gasped, collapsing again as pain rocketed through his head, back and legs, "O-ow!"

His head swam and bright stars danced in front of his eyes, then he sank down into blackness for a while. He thought he might have heard a man's deep voice and wondered anxiously if Byakuya had arrived and was less than pleased at finding his cocky fukutaichou beaten and laid out with the Seireitei garbage.

 _Oh man, don't let it be him! Leave me some of my dignity. I'll bet Ichigo's gonna laugh his ass off about how after I said I had his back I got knocked ass over teakettle and didn't end up doing shit for him. Okay…well, thank's to Aizen's illusions, I did confuse Ywach so Ichigo could get a shot at him. I guess that's something._

He flinched and tensed as some of the debris around him moved, then something pressed down hard on his undefended nether region.

"OW!" he howled, pushing desperately at whatever was bearing down on him.

The male voice he had heard before sounded again.

" _Que es esto?"_ he mused, stepping back and shifting the wood and stone he had been standing on, "Ren-ren-nii, is that you down there?"

The tall, caramel skinned man's lips curled into an amused smile as he uncovered the redhead's clothed, but still very noticeable genitalia.

"That is you!" he snickered, "Are you alive down there?"

"You couldn't tell by the screaming when you stepped on me?" Renji groaned, adding a few sharp curses as Kuri freed him from the wreckage, "What the hell?"

"That was not me, it was Ambrosio," Kuri said, shaking his head apologetically, "You are lucky to still have…eh…all of your parts."

"Yeah, thanks for that," Renji answered, glaring up at the handsome silver Andalusian stallion that stood at Kuri's shoulder, "You know, you're almost as bad as that zebra-striped nut job horse that taichou gave me as a gift… _Yakkaigoto_."

"How many times do you need to be reminded?" Kuri chided him, helping him to his feet, "A spirit steed chooses its rider and it is a great honor to be chosen by one of the noblest beasts."

Renji scowled and started to take a step, then collapsed ingloriously into Kuri's arms.

"Some honor," Renji groaned, hanging onto Kuri and struggling to regain his footing, "Getting thrown off on my ass by Yakkaigoto and having this dickhead stomp on my crotch!"

Ambrosio loosed a soft equine snicker.

"I heard that," Renji snapped, "I know you two are working together."

"You are too much fun to tease," Kuri chuckled, his turquoise eyes twinkling, "but enough of that. You need healing. What did you do? Let me guess. You charged in without stopping to make a plan first, eh?"

"Usually works for you, right?" Renji joked.

"No," Kuri disagreed, settling the redhead on the ground again and beginning a healing infusion, "Usually, I take a moment to make a crazy plan, then I charge in."

"Okay, note to self. Next time, take a second to make a plan…" Renji muttered, rolling his eyes, "Don't mind the fact that an evil god is about to destroy the three worlds, just take your time and think first. I don't know. I think my way is better. Ichigo did it like I did…although, he was only successful because Aizen and I distracted Ywach."

"Some distracting," Kuri huffed, shaking his head, "Your arm is barely on, your reiatsu was so low that I almost couldn't find you and you are so bruised, I can't tell what's a bruise and what's a tattoo. Such a crime to ruin art like that, eh?"

Renji felt warmth touch his cheeks as the Shima leader's fingers trailed over one of the bold tattoos on his chest, lingering a bit longer than was strictly necessary.

"Y-yeah," he answered, his voice catching slightly, "The bastards…"

"Well, I think you should be able to walk now," Kuri said, sitting back and reaching into his clothes, "Especially if we numb the pain with a little bit of _something_."

"Oh, ho, ho," Renji laughed, wincing and placing a hand on his side as a heavy twinge went through the area, "Bring it on."

Kuri grinned and took a swig from a flask he pulled from his breast pocket, then he held the flask to Renji's lips, tipping it and smirking in amusement as the redhead drank deeply.

"Ahhhh, thanks!" Renji sighed, laying back on the ground, "That's just what I needed. Just don't tell Taichou, cause technically, I'm still on duty."

"Fuck that," Kuri said dismissively, "The quincy king is gone. We are not working. We are celebrating."

"I think Taichou would say that we should leave the celebrating for when the clean up is done."

"Well," Kuri said, winking at him, "Your taichou is not here right now. I'm a senior officer, so you do what I say. And I say…"

"Shima Taichou," Byakuya's deep voice called out, startling the two men and sending Renji scrambling onto his feet as Kuri tucked the flask back into his pocket, "You have found my fukutaichou? Is Renji all right?"

"Y-yeah, I'm okay, Taichou," Renji said, trying his hardest not to sway, "S-see?"

Byakuya gave him a derisive look.

"I see a wounded man, barely on his feet," he said sternly, "You are to report at once to the fourth division."

"The fourth division was destroyed," Kuri informed him, "But Shima Adobe is mostly undamaged."

"Very well," Byakuya sighed, "Renji will accept your hospitality at Shima Adobe while I continue the search for Kurosaki Ichigo. Just be sure that your heal him thoroughly before you allow him to leave…"

"But…" Renji objected.

"Oh, and do not forget that he faints at the sight of a needle."

"Taichou!" Renji complained.

"I will take good care of him," Kuri promised, giving Renji another sly wink.

Giving no answer, Byakuya flash stepped away, heading out across the huge debris field with his senses extended and searching for any sign of the shinigami substitute. The flickers of Ywach's malevolent reiatsu resonated menacingly around him as he first searched for the site of the quincy king's fall, then began exploring in a widening circle around it. He paused every now and then, listening for cries of injured parties or sounds of Gotei forces arriving.

 _It may still be a while. I need to find Ichigo and make sure he will be all right until the human girl comes from the royal realm. It may take some time because of the rieatsu flares in the area. It makes just being in this area dangerous._

As time passed and he still found no sign of Ichigo, Byakuya's reiatsu darkened and swelled, only adding to the tension.

"Where are you?" he panted softly, looking around, "Ichigo…"

A pile of debris a short distance ahead of him suddenly exploded, sending dirt, glass and bits of cement and wood in all direction.

"Wha? Who? Who is that?" Ichigo asked dazedly, sitting up in the middle of the pile of strewn rubble, "B-byakuya?"

"I am here," Byakuya said, struggling to force the edge of worry out of his voice, "Are you badly injured? I will care for you until your friend arrives to reject the damage."

"Ugh!" Ichigo grunted, coughing the smoke and dust out of his lungs, "Thanks."

Byakuya nudged some of the rubble out of the way and knelt in front of the shinigami substitute.

"Where are you hurt?"

"Eh," Ichigo mused, looking over his bruised, cut and badly battered body, "Kinda _everywhere_."

"Do you know if you have any critical wounds?"

"I…I don't think so," Ichigo answered, coughing several more times, "but I think that last explosion sorta scrambled my brains. I feel pretty dizzy."

"You look it," Byakuya said reprovingly.

"Thanks," Ichigo chuckled dryly, "You look pretty beat up and giddy yourself."

"I am fine," Byakuya said shortly, "We need to focus on you. Just direct me to the most painful places and I will soothe them until help arrives."

"My head hurts pretty bad," Ichigo said, blinking several times in an attempt to clear his vision, "Unless there's supposed to be three of you, I think I'm not seeing things right."

Byakuya leaned forward and placed soft, warm hands on the sides of Ichigo's face. Instantly, the feeling of dizziness increased as a breath of sweet sakura impacted his senses.

"Wh-whoa!" he managed, teetering.

Byakuya slipped an arm around him and held him in place, increasing the intensity of the lovely scent he radiated.

"H-hey, I think it's getting worse," he complained.

"You will be fine," Byakuya assured him, "You have a concussion, but I sense no signs of brain trauma."

"Well, it still hurts," Ichigo objected, "Can't you rub it or something?"

"I need to focus on more important things such as stopping the bleeding I see and addressing major wounds. I am attempting to stave off death at the moment. Unless you want me to coddle you while you succumb to your wounds, you need to cooperate."

"I d-don't mind some cuddling if it's with you," Ichigo giggled, falling against Byakuya's shoulder and missing entirely the look of mingled annoyance and concern the other man gave him.

"You don't know what you're saying," Byakuya chided him, shaking his head wearily as he leaned forward to continue the healing.

He caught his breath in surprise as Ichigo pushed forward, bringing Byakuya down on his back and flopping down on top of him.

"What in kami's are you doing?" Byakuya asked sternly.

Ichigo gave him a dazed smile.

"I'm kissing you," he snickered, falling down and crashing their lips together.

Byakuya struggled, trying to turn his head away, but Ichigo persisted stubbornly and managed several hard, penetrating kisses before the noble shoved him roughly away.

"Have you lost your mind, Ichigo?" he snapped.

"Ow!" Ichigo complained, grabbing his head and groaning, "Why'd you do that?"

"I had to get you off of me," Byakuya answered shortly, "You are still bleeding, Ichigo."

Ichigo glanced down at his battered body as though noticing his injuries for the first time.

"O-oh!" he grunted, collapsing against Byakuya.

"Ah," the noble sighed, shaking his head, "well, at least this will make you easier to heal."

He laid Ichigo down gently and worked swiftly to bare him to better locate his bleeding wounds. A little flush broke out over his lovely face as he touched healing hands to Ichigo's slashed breast and bruised belly.

"You are a mess, Ichigo," he mused softly, "You are lucky to be alive."

He paused and his dark eyes softened unexpectedly.

"I am glad you are still alive," he whispered, "Rest now, and let me take care of you."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya's awareness returned slowly, and he sensed that he was wrapped warmly in soft blankets and held close in someone's arms. His mind whirled, trying to make sense of the situation, and he quickly realized that there was no making sense of anything, because as much as the warmth and feelings of comfort were familiar, not only did he not know who was holding him, he wasn't sure anymore who he might be.

He opened his eyes and found himself in what appeared to be a cart of some kind. He laid in a small, but comfortable bed, just behind where the cart's driver would sit. Turning his head slightly, he discovered that the man who held him was tall and had long, beautiful silver hair that was pulled back into a hair tie. The man's skin was pale, like Tetsuya's own, and his slightly thin lips seemed to smile, even as he slept. Tetsuya tried to gently free himself, but only brought the other man awake. Strangely, he kept his eyes nearly closed, even as he sat up and brushed the misbehaving strands of silver hair from around his face.

"Well, hello there, sleepyhead!" he greeted Tetsuya, "It's a bit early to be up and about, especially after being injured, ne Tetsuya-san?"

"Injured?" Tetsuya repeated curiously, "Tetsuya-san?"

"Oh my," the man sighed unhappily, "You got a pretty bad concussion when the quincies attacked us yesterday. I was concerned it might affect your memory. But, I am sure things will come back to you."

"I'm sorry," Tetsuya apologized, "We were attacked…"

"By quincies," the man explained, "We travel around the Rukongai, selling things and providing minor healing. We were near the Seireitei when quincies attacked, and got knocked about a bit."

The man looked around the cart for a moment, then smiled sadly at Tetsuya.

"It seems that your clothes and some of our other things were burned. But I gave you a comfy yukata you can use until we enter the next town. We will replace your lost clothing. It will be all right, Tetsuya-san."

"Tetsuya?" Tetsuya repeated, blinking.

"That is your name," the silver-haired man assured him, coaxing him into sitting up, then turning him and baring the back of his right shoulder.

"What are you…?"

"You see?" the man said, pointing to a number of markings on his shoulder, "There is your name, _Tetsuya_ , and under it is your prisoner number and the name of the noble's prison, Itamigiri. You grew up in the prison, Tetsuya-san. You don't remember any of it?"

"N-no!" Tetsuya exclaimed, his eyes widening with anxiety, "I don't remember anything!"

"There, there, now," the man said, patting his face gently, "It will be all right. It will all come back to you. You just need to relax and rest, eat, Tetsuya-san. Are you hungry?"

"I am confused!" Tetsuya exclaimed, "I was a prisoner?"

"Yes," the man confirmed, "And I found you quite some years ago, being sold at a slave's auction in the low Rukongai. It seems that the ones who ran the prison wanted to get rid of the prisoners quietly, so sold a lot of them before they could be found. You were being auctioned and I was concerned because two very rough looking men were in a bidding war. So, I outbid them and won you, myself."

A look of dismay overtook Tetsuya's comely face.

"I am a…slave? Your slave?" he asked hesitantly.

"W-well," the man said, smirking, "not exactly. You see, I didn't really want you as a slave. I just didn't want those men to hurt you. So, I bought you…and I told you that if you would agree to work for me until you could pay back your ransom, I would free you. You are about three years from paying off your debt, so you are indebted to me, but I would not call you a slave."

Tetsuya studied the man for a moment.

"We…sleep together?" he asked, a blush roaring over his face and throat, "We are lovers?"

"I don't think we are really anything right now," the man said, frowning, "After all, you don't remember me. I seem to be a stranger to you, ne Tetsuya-san?"

"Y-you didn't really answer my question," Tetsuya persisted, "Who are you and what is our…relationship?"

"My name is Kitsune," the man answered, smiling cheerfully, "I told you, I am a trader and a healer. I have a little home in the mid-Rukongai, but I travel around in this cart, selling things and offering healing. You are my employee, who is working to earn his freedom."

"And we are…?"

"Right now, we are strangers," the man said firmly.

"But we're sharing a bed," Tetsuya pointed out.

"Well," the man chuckled, "it's pretty cold tonight. Do you want me to make you up a separate place to sleep?"

Tetsuya looked around and shivered softly at the unfamiliarity of everything.

"N-no," he decided, "For some reason, I feel safer being close to you."

"That's sweet, Tetsuya-san," Kitsune said, patting his face affectionately, "Now, will you tell me? Would you like some food and tea now or are you still tired?"

"I think I'd feel better if I slept a bit more," Tetsuya answered, lying down again.

He caught his breath softly as Kitsune laid down beside him and curled up to his back, wrapping warm, strong arms around him.

"Hmm," the man sighed, "This is warmer, ne?"

"Yes, um, thank you, Kitsune-sama."

"Oh, Tetsuya-san, you don't have to be formal with me," Kitsune giggled, tickling his cheek.

"Oh, I wasn't sure," Tetsuya confessed, blushing, "After all, I do owe you…"

"Enough about that," Kitsune insisted, touching his lips lightly, "Sleep, Tetsuya-san. Maybe you will remember more in the morning."

Kitsune held Tetsuya close as the young man yawned and slowly drifted off again.

 _I feel sort of guilty, inhibiting the return of his memory like that, but…Tetsuya is a sweet thing…too good to be wasted on a stuffy noble family. As a half blood, he seems to have been badly mistreated…imprisoned and there are signs of abuse that linger even years after the emancipation of the prisoners like him. He will make a fine companion for a while. If we tire of each other, it's easy enough to retouch the lines of his memory and we'll just part ways then._

 _In the meantime, it's nice not to have to sleep alone._


	3. Night Games

**Chapter 3: Night Games**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **(Thanks to the awesome Jess0409 (Gin has a whole different mindset that makes him an amazingly versatile character!), Willow (Yes, Gin will be surprised as Tetsuya touches his heart in a way he didn't know it could be reached.), Picklez80 (I do love all of the pairings in this one, so it's rolling along pretty well, writing wise.), Yukino76 (You are quite welcome!), RenjiRocks (You've got it! More Kurenji in this chapter, with some cute interactions with protective boss Bya too! Bonus!), Nyma (I really wish Gin had been reinstated. Yes, he did some pretty nasty things and he deserved punishment, but he did try to end Aizen and his attachment to Rangiku really showed a vulnerable side to him. He is witty, sneaky and so much fun. Tetsuya is in for an amazing romance!), Tomyallen (Yes, Kuri and Renji will be in trouble soon! And you're right about that Bya/Ichi chemistry. They balance each other very well. Gin may be in trouble when Tetsuya learns about his deception, but Tetsuya is not like other people, so his reaction may surprise everyone...especially Gin!), Adalie Delacroix (Ah, the story On Top was one that has been taken down because I am rewriting it for publishing as an original novel. I am currently reconfiguring the cast and filling out the story here and there. I was instructed to make sure that I removed all copies from the Internet before submitting, but I would like to perhaps repost after the original story is finished and released. I will try to do that as soon as I can. I think it's a great story, which is why it was chosen to be remade as an all original story. Fire in the Sky is going to get an update this week. Just a few more pages on that.), Tawan Lariviere (Oh yes, passion will be flaring all over between Kuri and Renji...and, well, you'll see! *snickers to self*), Tcas0518 (I totally sympathize about the waiting until the end sometimes, first to make sure everyone's okay and second, to make sure the story gets finished, because I hate starting a story that gets dropped. So, even though I have tons of stories, I plan to finish them all, and I love good endings, even if there are some tears (usually tears of joy). I am having a blast writing this story. It's kind of a quirky one, because the end of the war is kind of a darkish place, but the couples and the way they are connecting give a lighter feel to the story. I like that mixture a lot.), Shima-Taicho31 (Kuri will be getting lots of attention very soon. I keep getting a ton of requests for Angelito, Angel Perdido and Salvaje Amor as well as Missing Piece! Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing Kuri to life and letting me borrow him. He is really fun to write!)**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Tetsuya woke again to the little creaking and rumbling sounds that the vendor's cart made as the horses pulled it along the dusty road. Kitsune sat, holding the reins and absently guiding the old horses slowly along the trail as his partially opened, ice blue eyes looked dreamily up into the stars. The little smirk on his lips widened into a smile and he turned his head to look at Tetsuya.

"You slept a long time," he commented in a soft, relaxed drawl, "Are you hungry yet, Tetsuya-san?"

Tetsuya sat up and started to stretch, then he winced and made a sound of discomfort as residual aches and pains seemed to strike him all over.

"Oh!" he gasped.

Kitsune pulled the cart into a little copse of trees, just off the trail and slid over the seat, dropping down into the sleeping area, just behind. He continued to smile as he swiftly set a pain block, watching the signs of pain and tension drain out of Tetsuya's slim body again.

"Is that better?" he asked, turning away to fish several cooking utensils out of a cabinet built into the back of the cart.

"It's much better," Tetsuya sighed, his head clouding slightly from the anesthetic kido.

The vendor handed him a flask of cool water, then picked up the cooking apparatus and climbed out of the cart. Tetsuya climbed slowly to his feet, resting for a moment, leaned against the seat of the cart, watching as Kitsune set down the cooking utensils and made a place for a little fire. While the fire grew, he moved back to the horses and released them from their harness, loosing them to drink from a nearby brook, then leaving them to graze near the campsite. He returned to the fire and set something cooking while Tetsuya climbed carefully out of the cart and limped over to join him.

"I don't think you're in any shape to be wandering around, especially at night," Kitsune commented, looking at Tetsuya out of the corner of a partially lidded eye, "You're good in a fight, but you got pretty beat up, and you still look like you don't remember a thing."

"I don't," Tetsuya confessed, "I started to think for a moment that the horses seemed familiar, but I'm not sure if that feeling is from before or if I have just adjusted to them being there."

"It's probably that they're familiar to you from before, but you're likely to be a little scrambled for a while. Just try to be patient with yourself and don't push it. Let things come back to you and don't stress yourself out, trying to force it."

"That's probably good advice," Tetsuya said, looking down into the roaring flames of the fire, "But being that I don't remember much of anything, I am really glad you are here to give me something familiar to start with. I do feel calmer and less afraid when you're nearby."

"Well, I haven't exactly left you for a moment while you've been recovering, so I don't know if that's true. You're pretty capable on your own, Tetsuya-san. That is why you survived the prison."

"Have I ever spoken to you about what it was like there?" Tetsuya asked, "Or who I might have known in that place?"

Kitsune tilted his head slightly, giving Tetsuya a measured look.

"Now, why would you want to be thinking about that place?" he asked, frowning a little, "There are only bad memories there, Tetsuya-san, much like that place where…"

"Where what?" Tetsuya asked, sitting up straighter and attending closely.

"W-well," Kitsune said, rubbing his chin, "I was going to say, _where you almost died_ the other day, but that's another bad memory, and if there's one thing I do want to help you remember, it is that I don't like to dwell on bad things. Whatever is in our past should stay there. The past is over and what's happening right now is good…isn't it?"

Tetsuya closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in the slightly smoky air and feeling warm where the heat of the fire touched him and coolness where the darkness clung. He opened his eyes again and studied the quiet little campsite, the large bulk of the horses as they stood close by with their heads lowered to nibble at the long field grasses. He glanced at Kitsune, then looked up into the sky, feeling a sense of deep contentment at the vast array of constellations. He tensed as he realized.

"I like to look at the constellations!" he exclaimed softly, "S-someone taught them to me!"

He gave Kitsune a questioning look.

"You?"

"What else would a couple of trader-healers like us be doing out under the stars as we travel?"

He laughed softly at the blush that touched Tetsuya's lovely features as he read the underlying meaning of the words.

"You are so cute, Tetsuya-san!" Kitsune laughed, slipping an arm around him and hugging his surprised friend warmly, "I was sad at first that you couldn't remember, but you are so cute and innocent, it almost makes up for you not remembering me."

"It amuses you that I am confused and can't remember?" Tetsuya said in a hurt tone, "I don't think it's very funny, Kitsune-san. It makes me afraid."

The smile on his companion's face faded instantly and Kitsune pulled Tetsuya closer.

"Don't be offended, Tetsuya-san," he chided the younger man, "You will relearn quickly that I don't dwell on the bad things. Good and bad things will happen all of the time. We just…choose what to hang on to and what to let go of. If you don't remember what we were like before, it is kind of sad, but doesn't it also mean that we can get to know each other all over again?"

"W-well, yes," Tetsuya answered uncertainly.

"And most people will tell you that the best time in two lovers' lives is when they don't know each other and they're excited about getting to know each other."

"But you already know me!" Tetsuya objected, "It's kind of unfair. I don't know anything about you. I only know you are a trader and a healer and that you rescued me from being sold as a slave."

"I don't really know that much about you," Kitsune confessed, tilting his head, "Before you forgot everything, I didn't ask you about the prison, because you always looked sad and scared when it came up. You're pretty quiet and you let me do more of the talking."

"But you don't say much about yourself," Tetsuya noted, "You talk about what is happening, where we are, things like that."

"I live in the moment, Tetsuya-san," Kitsune said, regaining his smile, "The past is mostly a torment we don't want to remember and the future has to be built as we go. But, here and now is the only place where we can decide anything that will make a difference. Here…is where we should stay, ne?"

"Yes," Tetsuya answered tentatively, "I suppose you are right."

"Good," Kitsune said approvingly, cupping Tetsuya's cheek in one cool palm, "Then, let's enjoy this moment as much as we can, okay?"

He pressed his lips gently to Tetsuya's, warming sweetly inside at the pretty flush it sent flashing over his skin.

 _You are so very sweet, Tetsuya-san_ , he sighed inwardly, _I hope that we are together for a while._

XXXXXXXXXX

Kuri waited in his bedroom until he heard his sister's footsteps on the walkway, heading back from the guest rooms to her own, then he slipped out of bed, donning a warm robe and slippers and selecting seconds of both that he carried with him as he crept out onto the walkway. He glanced in the direction of his sister's room, smiling as he sensed her sleepy reiatsu, then he headed towards the room where Renji laid, recuperating. He found the redhead still awake and lying on the bed with his hands behind his head, his cinnamon colored eyes blinking dreamily.

"You looked bored, Ren-ren-nii," he chuckled, slipping into the room and walking to Renji's bedside.

"Just the guy to make it not boring anymore," Renji said cheerfully.

He sat up slowly, holding his side and wincing.

"I'm sure _mì hermana_ scolded you, saying you were not to move from that bed until morning, eh?" Kuri teased him.

"Of course," the redhead admitted, "So, where are we going?"

"Here," Kuri laughed, tossing him the robe and slippers and waiting while he wrangled his tall, lanky body into them, swearing several times at the twinges of pain the effort caused, "It's cold outside."

"We're going stargazing?" Renji inquired, "I thought Taichou was staying over. We don't wanna have him see me disobeying orders."

"He went to bed early," Kuri said, shrugging.

"Taichou went to bed early? Without any moon gazing?" Renji mused, "I didn't think he was hurt very bad. Did he say anything was wrong?"

"No," Kuri said, smirking knowingly as he and Renji slipped out of the guest room and headed away from the main building.

"I wonder if I should check in on him," Renji said worriedly.

"You don't need to check on Byakurai," Kuri chuckled, "He is fine. I promise you."

Renji shook his head firmly.

"Look, believe me, I know this guy. He moon gazes every night. He even goes out walking in the bad weather. He likes the fresh air. If he didn't…"

Kuri leaned over to whisper into the redhead's ear and Renji froze on the walkway as his warm breath tickled a surprisingly sensitive earlobe.

"He is sharing a guest room with Ichibun."

Renji's breath caught and he couldn't speak for a moment. Then, he started to laugh, only to have Kuri clap a warm, rough hand over his mouth.

"Do you want Deripie and _Mamà_ to catch us out here?" he chided the giggling redhead, "Be quiet!"

"S-sorry!" Renji snickered, "It's just that neither one of those two…"

"Will make the first move," Kuri finished with him.

The two paused and exchanged amused glances, then covered their mouths and laughed as they moved out along the paddock fence, heading for a small rise.

"I think you're drunk already," Renji accused Kuri playfully, "Did you start without me?"

"I might have had a little test taste," Kuri admitted, producing a bottle with about a third of the product inside missing.

"Then, I think I'll just have to catch up with you," Renji laughed, reaching to snatch the bottle away.

Kuri turned and Renji overextended an arm, then pitched over, starting to fall.

"Shit!" Kuri hissed, barely managing not to drop the bottle as he tucked it hastily into his sleeve, then caught the falling redhead in his arms.

"Nice catch," Renji giggled, oblivious to how his robe and yukata had fallen open to reveal the bold expanse of tattoos that decorated his muscular chest and soft belly.

"¡Dios mío!" Kuri exclaimed, holding Renji in his arms and staring down at the lovely display, "You have some new ones, eh?"

"Yeah," Renji said proudly, "Now that Ichibei-san helped me get that bastard Zabimaru's full release command and I raised my power level, he made a few alterations."

"Very impressive," Kuri said, nudging the redhead back onto his feet and releasing him.

He loosed a little unhappy sigh as Renji closed his yukata, tying it firmly in place, then secured his robe more firmly.

"Do you think you can walk now without falling, Ren-ren-nii?"

"Mayyyyyybe," Renji drawled, "But I think I need a little pick-me-up first."

"No way. Not until we get to the top of the hill."

"I hope you plan on carrying me down again, cause my back and head are killing me."

"I have just the thing for that."

"If you'll just hand that over…"

"Not yet," Kuri laughed, turning so the redhead couldn't reach the place where he had stashed the bottle.

They reached the top of the hill and skidded to a stop as they realized someone was already there.

"Oh!" Renji gasped breathlessly as Kuri yanked him into the brush, just as the person turned in their direction.

"Shh!" Kuri hissed.

"But that's Taichou!" Renji complained, "I thought you said that he was already asleep."

"I thought he was," Kuri said, shaking his head, "but then, he has been worried ever since word came from Kuchiki Manor from the returning household that the lovely Tetsu-hana is missing."

"Yeah," Renji said, his eyes clouding, "I heard about that. They found signs of a struggle in the gardens, but they couldn't figure out if he was killed or maybe taken as a prisoner."

"If he was taken prisoner, he wasn't found with the bodies of the ones that the soldats slaughtered after sensing their king's death."

"I'm glad he wasn't killed by them," Renji said somberly, "But I think I need to help Taichou go and look for him tomorrow."

"If Deripie will let you out of bed," Kuri teased him, taking a swig of the golden liquid he had brought along, then handing the bottle to Renji.

"I thought you said no drinking until we made it to the top of the hill," the redhead reminded him.

Kuri shrugged.

" _Está ocupada_."

"Fine by me," Renji laughed softly, taking a large swallow, then handing the bottle back to Kuri.

Kuri made a quick motion to silence him and pointed to where another person was making his way slowly up the hill.

"Oh my god," Renji snickered, "Romeo, romeo, wherefore art thou?"

The two watched as Ichigo made his way gingerly up the hill and Byakuya turned and frowned at him.

"You are supposed to be resting, Kurosaki Ichigo," Byakuya scolded him solemnly, "It is an insult to those to went to such effort to heal you. You should go back and lie down."

A slight petulant scowl touched the shinigami substitute's lips.

"I'm really fine," he insisted, "And I wanted to talk to you."

"Not to tell him about the terrible crush he has on Byakurai," Kuri whispered into Renji's ear, "but just to chat about inconsequential things…the weather, you know."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Byakuya asked, turning to look at the moon again.

Ichigo moved closer, taking up a position at Byakuya's side and following his gaze upward.

"I heard about Tetsuya going missing," he went on, "I want to go with you to look for him in the morning."

"You are in no condition to be…"

"Hey," Ichigo said, making the noble blink in surprise and go silent, "I know you're really worried about him. And Tetsuya's my friend too. I want to help find him."

Byakuya sighed.

"And I suppose there is no way that you will accept no for an answer, is there?"

"Why are you being so stubborn about it?" Ichigo persisted, "Byakuya, I admit, I am a little achy, but it's not that bad. And I want to help. What's wrong with that?"

"I am going out on Ikazuchi…"

"Your spirit steed?"

"Yes," Byakuya confirmed, "Ikazuchi might be able to track Tetsuya from the gardens, or he might pick up Arashi's reiatsu."

"No one's seen Arashi either, right?"

"No, they haven't," Byakuya answered worriedly, "But if the battle was difficult, Tetsuya may have been forced to join Arashi's body with his. If he resorted to that, it could explain why we haven't picked up his reiatsu yet. His reiatsu would remain very low for as long as a month after using his greatest power."

"Well, low reiatsu or not, we'll find him," Ichigo promised.

"I do not want you re-injuring yourself," Byakuya argued.

"I won't," Ichigo assured him, "I could ride with you, right?"

Byakuya looked taken aback for a moment and his dark eyes met Ichigo's more directly.

"You are extremely persistent," he noted.

"I really wanna help."

Byakuya nodded in resignation.

"Very well, but you need to rest now," he insisted, "I will walk back with you."

"You don't have to do that."

"I have to go back that way anyway," Byakuya said easily, "We are sharing a guest room."

"We are?" Ichigo asked, looking surprised.

"There aren't enough rooms or beds," Byakuya explained, "If it bothers you, I will…"

"No!" Ichigo said quickly.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed and his head tilted questioningly at his outburst.

"I uh…it's not problem," Ichigo said, collecting himself, "I don't mind sharing a bed if you don't."

"It's fine," Byakuya said off-handedly, "as long as you do not try to tackle me and kiss me again."

"I apologized for that!" Ichigo snapped, blushing brightly, "I was injured and really out of it."

"Which is why your head is still resting on your shoulders," Byakuya said dryly.

"was it really that bad of a thing anyway?" Ichigo complained, "Did I have bad breath or something?"

"No," Byakuya assured him, arching an eyebrow, "It is just that I usually do not kiss on the first date."

"And it wasn't even really a date," Ichigo chuckled, regaining a bit of humor.

He paused, noting how close they were standing to each other, and how Byakuya was watching him with a gentler, curious expression.

"So," Ichigo went on, "what if I take you out on a real date…after we look for Tetsuya?"

Byakuya's dark eyes evidenced a measure of surprise, but tentative approval.

"You want to go out with me?" Byakuya asked.

"Yeah," Ichigo said, grinning, "That's the only way I can kiss you again and not get beheaded, right?"

Within the nearby bushes, Renji covered his mouth to stop his laughter.

"That is cute," Kuri huffed appreciatively, "Should I take you out so I can kiss you too?"

Renji blinked in surprise, feeling the slight buzz from the alcohol and reeling slightly.

"Naw," he managed a little dizzily, "You can just kiss me."

Kuri grinned.

"I cannot pass up an invitation like that," he said, leaning forward and pressing his lips to the redhead's.

"Mmmmm," Renji moaned, forgetting for a moment to be quiet, then gasping and cringing as Byakuya's eyes touched on the bushes where the two were hidden.

"Abarai," Byakuya said sternly.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Renji whispered, covering his face for a moment, "Oh man, I am so dead!"

He crawled out of the bushes and stood, brushing the twigs out of his wild, unbound hair.

"Y-yeah, sorry, Taichou," he apologized, "I was just…"

"And you as well, Shima taichou," Byakuya sighed.

"What the hell?" Ichigo mused, staring as Kuri crawled out and joined the redhead in front of them, "You two…?"

"I'm…really sorry, Taichou," Renji apologized again.

"If you are done disobeying orders and lying out here drinking when you should be resting, I would appreciate it if you would return to your bed _alone_ , and at least try to get some sleep."

"Yeah, sure Taichou," Renji stammered.

"I'll walk you back," Kuri offered.

Byakuya's gaze darkened warningly.

"I think you have done enough," he said shortly, "I will walk Renji back."

"But I wasn't done talking to you yet," Ichigo complained.

"I think he had just asked you out, Byakurai," Kuri said, smirking, "Don't worry about Ren-ren-nii. I promise I will get him back into bed safely so you can finish making plans."

"Fine, but you will give me the bottle," Byakuya said sternly.

Kuri handed him the mostly empty bottle of liquor.

"And your flask."

The Shima leader let out an agitated breath and handed him the flask.

"Thank you," Byakuya said politely.

He and Ichigo watched as Kuri wrapped an arm around Renji and led him back down the hill.

"Man, that guy is scary sometimes," Renji sighed, "Too bad he took all of the booze. I _really_ need a drink now."

"It's fine," Kuri snickered, "I have an emergency flask hidden under my pants leg."


	4. Celebration of Life

**Chapter 4: Celebration of Life**

 **(I'm off to a concert tonight, so I'm going to be getting my ears pounded for a few hours, but I wanted to get this posted before leaving. Oh, you will love the next chapter! I can't wait to write it. Love to all, Spunky)**

Well before dawn, a little breath of sakura seeped into Ichigo's senses and brought him out of sleep. He opened his eyes and found himself unexpectedly enjoying a glimpse of Byakuya in a very different state than he had ever seen him in before.

Byakuya laid on his side, curled around several pillows and facing Ichigo. His closed eyelids revealed surprisingly long, dark eyelashes that stood out prettily against his slightly glowing porcelain flesh. Several misbehaving raven strands trickled onto his face and he wore a calm, serene expression with lips that had escaped the slight frown they wore during much of the day.

 _He must be having good dreams._

Ichigo couldn't help but stare at Byakuya's comely face and the lips he knew were almost unbearably soft, warm and sweet.

 _I want so badly to kiss him again. I never felt anything as good as kissing him. And if it was that good while I was so dizzy before, I'll bet it would be even better with my head clear and able to focus on him._

 _Damn…_

 _It's killing me, having to wait until we go out. Byakuya is so beautiful and he smells so good. I never knew a guy could be so attractive like that. And he's not just beautiful. He's smart…strong…a great fighter. Oh kami, he'd probably be really, really good in bed._

 _Shit, I'm getting hard._

"How long do you wish to go on staring at me?" Byakuya asked suddenly, opening one pretty grey eye.

Ichigo sucked in a surprised breath and a furious blush erupted over his face and throat.

"I…w-was I staring?" he stammered, turning away, "Sorry, Byakuya. I was just…thinking."

"Hmmm," Byakuya mumbled, closing his eyes again, "You should be sleeping."

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, "It's just kinda hard to do that, after all that's happened."

"For me as well."

Ichigo turned towards Byakuya again.

"You're also worried about Tetsuya."

"I am."

Ichigo glanced out the exterior doors of their Shima Adobe guest room, where the darkness was just beginning to give way to morning.

"So, when do you want to start looking for him?"

Byakuya gave him a skeptical look.

"We will look for Tetsuya once you are fully rested," he said sternly.

"Come on," Ichigo chuckled, "You know that neither one of us is really sleeping. All we're going to do if we stay here is to worry about him and wonder where he is. We should just get going now, don't you think?"

Byakuya sat up slowly and stretched, then he ran graceful fingers through the long strands of his handsome raven colored hair.

"I suppose you may be right," the noble admitted, "I confess that even when I was sleeping, I seemed to get no rest."

Ichigo nodded.

"So, let's go."

"Very well," Byakuya said, sliding out of the bed and walking into the dressing area, "Come, Ichigo."

 _Oh man, this is so not fair…_

Ichigo left the bed and followed Byakuya to the dressing area, where he found that the noble's personal attendant had cleaned, mended and laid out his shihakushou. Byakuya positioned himself in front of the mirror and motioned for the shinigami substitute to do the same. A moment later, two Kuchiki family attendants stepped into the room and began to undress them.

Ichigo blushed again as his slim, muscular body was uncovered and he tried not to stare as Byakuya's lovely, fit form was revealed as well.

"I plan to begin with the place where traces of Tetsuya's reiatsu was found and to extend a search in several strategic directions from there," Byakuya proposed, "Even if Tetsuya expired after the battle, his body had to have been moved. The task will be to figure out who moved him and why. If he was not alive, why would the person who took his body have moved it? And if he was alive, was he merely found by someone who tried to help him? Or was Tetsuya abducted?"

"You think he might have been?" Ichigo asked, carefully angling his eyes so it wouldn't look like he was staring.

"It's possible," Byakuya posited, "The noble houses were, and still could be, a strategic target."

"You think the quincies are still that determined? It seems like they're more just desperate, now that their king is dead."

Byakuya caught Ichigo's eye for a moment in the mirror.

"It may not have been quincies. It was, perhaps, an opportunist of some sort."

"Like?"

"Perhaps a member of a clan not on good terms with ours or scavengers attempting to loot the premises."

"That makes a lot of sense," Ichigo agreed, moving closer and touching the noble's arm, "But don't worry, okay? We're going to find Tetsuya, one way or another, and we'll bring him home."

Byakuya gave him a genuine look of gratitude.

"Thank you, Ichigo," he said softly, "I appreciate your assistance."

"Tetsuya is your family and he's my friend. Neither one of us is going to stop until we know what happened to him."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya sat quietly at Kitsune's side as the horses pulled the trader's cart along a dusty trail just outside a mid-Rukongai town. His blue eyes blinked slowly and his face wore a relaxed expression as he worked silently at trying to remember anything at all from before his injury. Kitsune nibbled lazily on a piece of long grass, watching Tetsuya out of the corner of a mostly closed eye, reading his features and smiling at his lovely companion's persistence.

"You are inside your head again, Tetsuya-san," he chuckled, "You've been like that for a pretty long time."

"I suppose I have," Tetsuya admitted, "I just really want to remember something, anything. I know you think I should just make peace with what's happened and move forward…"

"There isn't much else to do anyway," Kitsune sighed, "The past is gone, Tetsuya-san. You shouldn't give up on remembering, but while you're trying to remember, you shouldn't forget to live today."

Tetsuya hesitated, then he let out a long sigh and let himself be pulled to closer to his companion's side as the horses continued down the trail. For an hour or so, the trail remained empty and peaceful, giving Tetsuya time to sink more deeply into the beauty of the coutryside, the cool air, the intermittent sounds of nearby birds and soft breezes through the trees that lined the trail. He breathed in deeply and finally succumbed to the peacefulness all around him. They began to spot houses set a bit back from the road, then gradually the distant shapes of larger buildings grew closer and larger. Tetsuya sat up straighter, earning a smile from Kitsune.

"We'll be stopping when we reach the edge of town," the trader decided.

"Don't you usually sell within the town?" Tetsuya asked, "That's what you've been doing so far."

"Yes," Kitsune agreed, "but there is a special event today in all of the Rukongai."

"Oh?" Tetsuya inquired curiously, "What is it?"

"It is the changing of the seasons, Tetsuya-san," Kitsune explained, "The iciness of winter and the darkness of war have lifted."

He turned his head slightly, glancing back in the direction from which they had come.

"They are still picking up the pieces in the Seireitei, but even there, where the damage was the worst, they will be glad for the changing of the seasons. Spring is here, Tetsuya-san and tonight we will dance and feast, showing our thankfulness that we are still alive."

Tetsuya glanced uncertainly down at the borrowed yukata he wore as Kitsune brought the cart to a stop within a little grove of trees. The trader laughed softly at Tetsuya's doubtful expression, then coaxed him out of the cart and onto the ground.

"Don't worry about your clothes," he chided the younger man, "I told you I would replace them for you. You will need some things comfortable enough for working in, but I will also help you pick out something for the celebration. Come with me."

Tetsuya fell in at the trader's side, moving in closer to him and eyeing the people and buildings they passed with mingled curiosity and slight mistrust.

"It's okay, Tetsuya-san," Gin chuckled good naturedly, "I think you're just anxious because you've never quite gotten used to being around so many people at once. In the prison, you were kept in cells, so you didn't see so many people all together and walking around like this."

"All of the sounds and the colors and everything moving so much does seem to be making my heart race," Tetsuya confessed.

"Ah, I know the feeling," Kitsune agreed, sliding a hand into his, "But this is when you have to make a choice."

He brought Tetsuya to a stop and let his eyes slide open, freezing the noble in place, then patting him on the cheek and following with a slow, savory kiss. Tetsuya wanted to ask what he meant, but his heart beat faster and his knees went weak as Kitsune met him for a deeper, more passionate kiss.

"You see," Kitsune giggled, running his fingers through Tetsuya's silken hair, "Your body doesn't know whether you are afraid or just excited. It reacts the same way, whether the excitement is good or bad. This is what makes some people choose risky things. They know some of those things could kill them, but they want the giddiness and excitement that the danger brings."

"Kitsune-san…" Tetsuya objected.

"Don't worry," the trader assured him, squeezing his hand and patting him on the cheek again, "I've grown wise enough not to go looking for danger anymore. I am excited to go and feast and dance with you, Tetsuya-san. Let's go and find some clothes for you."

A genuine smile crept onto Tetsuya's face as the trader pulled him along, leading him into town and heading for a clothing shop. Tetsuya followed him inside, where the two were met by a smiling, dark-haired, middle aged woman.

"May I help you?" she asked politely.

"Yes, please," Kitsune answered, stepping forward, "My friend and I are…"

"Oh!" the woman exclaimed suddenly, "Kitsune-san! It's been such a long time since we saw you here."

"I was wondering if you would remember me, Eshima-san!" Kitsune laughed.

"My favorite mischief maker," the shopkeeper accused him playfully, "How could I forget? And who is your lovely friend?"

"Ah, this beauty is my Tetsuya-san," the trader answered, curling an arm around Tetsuya, "Tetsuya-san was ill and wasn't with me when I was here before. He is my business partner and life partner as well."

Tetsuya blushed brightly as the shopkeeper took his hand and kissed him on the cheek.

"Kitsune-san!" she chided the trader, "You never mentioned you were _married_!"

Tetsuya blinked in surprise and started to speak, only to be met with a speech quelling kiss on his frowning mouth.

"Oh, Tetsuya-san and I are not officially married," Kitsune laughed, "It's more of a common law thing because we have lived together for so long."

"Now, that is just not right," Eshima said in a motherly voice, placing her hands on her hips, "Don't you think that your marriage to the beautiful Tetsuya-san should be celebrated properly?"

"Well," Kitsune began, "Um…"

Eshima captured Tetsuya's face in warm hands and looked affectionately into his eyes.

"Tetsuya-san, don't you think that the day you declare your love and loyalty to Kitsune-san is a day you very much want to remember?"

She made a sound of surprise as Tetsuya's face was overtaken with a look of distress and tears filled his blue eyes.

"Tetsuya-san!" she exclaimed, "Sweet boy, what's wrong?"

"Eh, you see," Kitsune said, curling a supportive arm around Tetsuya, "We were attacked by quincies several days ago and Tetsuya-san was hit on the head and hasn't been able to remember our years together."

"Oh no…" Eshima sighed sorrowfully, taking Tetsuya's hand in hers, "I'm so sorry, Tetsuya-san. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's okay," Tetsuya assured her, rubbing the tears from the corners of his eyes, "You couldn't have known."

"Some things are beginning to come back, but there are still so many things that haven't."

Kitsune turned and faced Tetsuya, placing his hands on Tetsuya's forearms and looking into his eyes.

"I didn't think it was right to burden him with pressure to just carry on the way we were, so I didn't mention to him that we were technically married."

"But this gives you a beautiful opportunity," the shopkeeper said firmly, "Come to the celebration tonight and we will have our town justice marry you in the town square!"

"Oh no," Kitsune laughed, "we couldn't possibly. Tetsuya-san is not ready for…"

He paused at the hopeful look Tetsuya gave him.

"What?" he asked curiously, "You _want_ to marry a man you can barely remember?"

Tetsuya smiled up at his silver-haired companion.

"Kitsune-san," he said softly, blushing furiously, "I may not remember the way things were, but I have been feeling the strong resonance of our souls as we have reconnected. Even if I had just met you, there is a strange feeling I get when I am with you. I feel like I belong with you. I don't ever feel like I'm missing home, because wherever we are, we are at home with each other."

Kitsune froze for a moment, then grabbed Tetsuya roughly and sank into his mouth passionately as Eshima giggled into her hand and watched. For several minutes, the trader was spellbound as he hugged and kissed Tetsuya hungrily, then pulled back slightly, a flush coming to his cheeks as he realized what he had done.

"Eh, s-sorry," he said sheepishly, caressing Tetsuya's hands, "It's just that no one's ever said anything that beautiful to me before. I think I was swept off my feet."

"Well then," Eshima chuckled, "you boys will need something to wear to the ceremony, ne?"

"Yes, yes," Kitsune said, nodding, "and Tetsuya-san will need some work clothes to replace the ones burned in the fire when we were attacked."

"Of course," the shopkeeper answered, leading the two to a large dressing room, "Stay here. I will be right back."

Kitsune waited until Eshima was gone, then he grabbed Tetsuya again and indulged in several more long, deep kisses.

"You know, we don't have to do this," he said quietly, an odd shaft of guilt touching his insides, "It's a big step."

"Don't you want to marry me, Kitsune-san?" Tetsuya asked, "I see the truth in your eyes. I know you are very much in love with me. And I love you as well."

 _I have fallen head over heels in love with him, haven't I?_ Kitsune mused, _This purloined flower from the Kuchiki clan. I want to say that they don't deserve him…these ones who let him rot in the prison for most of his early life. I want to say that he doesn't deserve to have to face their shoddy treatment of him. But…Tetsuya-san was dressed as a protector of Byakuya's own branch of the family. What if he was happy?_

He looked deeply into Tetsuya's smiling expression.

 _No_ ,he assured himself, _Tetsuya-san may have been content, but he couldn't have been happy with them. They could not appreciate him…love him the way I can. I have stolen him, body, mind and heart. I will pay for that crime by never letting Tetsuya-san be anything but happy!_

"What are you thinking?" Tetsuya asked.

Kitsune smirked playfully.

"I am thinking that I should ask you if you are sure one more time."

"I am!" Tetsuya insisted.

"But, you do know that this means tonight will be our wedding night and that we will make love to consummate the occasion?"

Tetsuya's blush returned instantly.

"Of course," he said shyly, "I may not remember everything, but I know about the way a wedding night is."

"And this is really okay with you?"

"Yes!" Tetsuya laughed, hugging Kitsune tightly, "Kitsune-san, I couldn't be happier!"


	5. Ghosts

**Chapter 5: Ghosts**

 **(My thanks to Aizenfan6969 (Here it is!), Picklez80 (Maybe you just have read too many of my stories...lol), Willow (Wish granted!), Tcas0518 (Oh, you know I love happy endings...there's just usually some bumps first. *grins wickedly*), Adalie Delacroix (You can say that again! Gin has been lucky so far, but luck has a way of turning. Ah, Rangiku! I will absolutely be including her. I just need to find the right way to bring her in. FAtS chapter is almost done. I promise! Man, that's taken a long time...), Nyma (Oh, you will absolutely love the next one!), Yukino76 (You are most welcome!), Tomyallen (The concert was great! I love Def Leppard. Saw them with REO Speedwagon and Tesla. Love that 80's metal! I was born to it.), Hisuiryuu (It's funny how Gin is doing something wrong, but there is a truth to what is happening that he didn't foresee.), RSK1066 (So glad you liked that!) Enjoy the new chapter! Love to all, Spunky)**

Renji shifted in his sleep, moaning softly and tightening his arms around the man who laid, naked and lazily sprawled, on top of him. His hazy mind registered that there was something not quite right about them being that way, but before he could make sense of the feeling, he sank back down into sleep and began to dream.

 _He found himself somehow returned to Soukyoku hill and lying in a pool of blood, holding onto someone. The person in his arms moved sluggishly and warm streams of coppery scented liquid leaked onto Renji's quaking arms._

" _I see," Aizen Sousuke's voice said quietly as the traitor moved towards Renji in slow, measured steps, "You are so stubborn, Renji. But you will find that it is useless. Still, I am feeling generous, so I will indulge you. If you refuse to let go of him, then I will just take your arms along when I take him from you."_

 _He tried to move, but his body was frozen, and when he tried to scream his defiance, his voice couldn't sound._

Renji came awake suddenly, gasping out the name of the one he had been holding.

"K-kuri!"

His eyes blinked and started to clear, and Renji found himself lying on his back with his legs spread wide and Shima Kurushimi's collapsed body joined with his. The Shima leader's eyes opened and blinked several times, trying to make sense of what was in front of them, before looking down into his.

" _Dios mìo_ ," he whispered, staring in confusion at the tumble-haired redhead, "What did we do, Ren-ren-nii?"

Renji bit at his lips, trying to fight off a stupid grin.

"I think it's kinda obvious we didn't stick to what we said about just kissing and fooling around a little," the redhead snickered.

Kuri let out a hissing laugh.

" _Mamà_ had better not find out about this or I am a dead man!"

The vibration of their laughter resonated deep in Renji's body where he felt the sensitive nerves being mercilessly teased and he sucked in a sharp breath as a lusty twinge went through his belly and flushed loins.

"Oh man…" he grunted, sweat breaking out on his forehead, "H-hey, uh…"

"Oh, sorry Ren-ren-nii," Kuri apologized, moving to separate them.

"No, no, no!" Renji objected, panting in distress as he grabbed the other man's hips and blushed brightly, "Don't…!"

"W-well," Kuri managed in an unusually husky voice, "what am I supposed to do? Stay here all day?"

"J-just…you're…if you…!" Renji stammered almost feverishly.

Kuri felt the warm swell of Renji's piqued arousal and couldn't stifle a laugh.

"You…don't want me to move?" he teased the redhead, wiggling slightly as Renji groaned and panted heatedly.

"Aw, come on!" Renji complained, "You know I can't help it! I woke up with you…w-with you, y'know, like _this!_ You can't just…just…"

" _Lo siento_ ," Kuri apologized, "I don't think either one of us knew what he was doing. But, if I don't move, then we are stuck this way. And if _Mamà_ or Deripie or Byakurai catches us like this, not only am I going straight to hell, they will kill me three times at least!"

"Well, if you move, I think I'll…"

Renji paused and turned as red as his hair.

"Well, if I don't separate us, you will still probably…" Kuri began, only to have Renji's hand clapped quickly over his smiling mouth before he could finish.

"Fine!" Renji whimpered, "but we have to be quiet, okay? Taichou's just a couple rooms down. He's gonna know I…w-we're…!"

"And why does he care what you do in your spare time?" Kuri huffed, "What is he, your mother? Besides, he's much too busy panting after Ichibun. Isn't one hot ginger enough?"

"Hey!" Renji squawked.

"Shhhhh," Kuri soothed him, teasing the redhead's lips with his, "You don't want your overprotective taichou to hear you."

"Seriously," Renji whispered, "is there something wrong with us doing this?"

Kuri shrugged.

"It's not like stopping now will make us innocent of it," he reasoned, "We obviously already did it while we were drunk, so…"

"Right," Renji said uncertainly, earning a curious look from the Shima leader.

"Ren-ren-nii, did I hurt you?" Kuri asked, frowning.

"No," Renji said in a flustered tone, "I don't remember last night either…not anything after we drained that hidden flask you had. I just feel kinda weird because…uh…well, it was my first time and I don't even remember it."

Kuri's eyes widened and he looked back at Renji with a stunned expression.

"You were a virgin?" he asked in a shocked tone, "And I…?"

He pulled free of Renji's body, trying in vain not to watch as the redhead's back arched and he gasped and released violently. Kuri closed his rumpled yukata, slowing as he tied the ends and looking aside as Renji's chest heaved in recovery.

 _He is beautiful in a way so different from any lover I ever had. My lovers were always delicate, sweet-faced…gentle. Ren-ren-nii is so tall. His markings are so bold. Everything about him is strong. But I felt his softness just now and it was…it was intoxicating!_

"Ugh, sorry," Renji groaned, his hands trying clumsily to close his yukata.

"Here, let me," Kuri offered, taking hold of the ends of the tie at his waist and carefully binding them together.

"You don't have to do that," Renji said wearily, "I can do it."

"You're still injured and you spent all night drinking and having your first sex with me," Kuri scolded him, patting him lightly on the belly as he finished, "There now. Rest, Ren-ren-nii. If Byakurai figures out I kept you awake and let you drink, he will give me a damned earful. And if he learns that I took your virginity while we were drunk, so we don't even remember it, he is going to give me a bath in those petal blades he likes to toss around!"

"You're probably right about that," Renji said, his blush returning, "Taichou knows that I didn't have anyone looking out for me when I was a kid, so he kinda watches out for me. I mean, he knows I can take care of myself, but…everyone kinda needs to feel looked after sometimes…just to know that someone cares about them."

Kuri looked down at his hands for a moment, a thin shaft of guilt touching his insides.

"Byakurai…isn't the only one who cares about you," the Shima leader said quietly, "Since we met after Aizen's downfall, I have grown fond of you as well."

"Yeah," Renji sighed, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "You helped a lot with my training. I'm grateful for that."

Renji felt a little shiver go through his insides.

"I haven't thought about Aizen at all since this whole thing with the quincies started. I'm glad they caught him after Ywach let him loose. I just had a nightmare about him."

"Is that why you jumped awake?" Kuri asked, looking sympathetic, "What was the dream about?"

"Eh, it was actually part memory," Renji explained, closing his eyes, "I was lying on the ground at the top of the Soukyoku Hill. In the memory, it's with me holding Rukia and trying to protect her from Aizen."

Renji opened his eyes and met Kuri's again.

"I guess it was because we were all tangled up in bed together, but I dreamed that I was protecting you from him. It was scary as hell. I'm so glad that psychopath is back in Muken."

Kuri slipped an arm around Renji and offered him a warm, gentle kiss.

"Not to worry, Ren-ren-nii, Aizen Sousuke will be locked up for much longer than any of us will live. You don't have to worry about him. Or about me, for that matter."

"But that's what friends do," Renji said, smiling and stealing another kiss, "We watch out for each other."

Renji jumped and paled slightly as a tapping sounded on the door and Torio's voice floated into the room.

"Gomen nasai, Shima taichou, but is Renji-san awake?"

"Shit!" Renji whispered, "I'm supposed to help Taichou look for Tetsuya."

Kuri nodded briefly.

"We will be out in a moment, Toto-kun," he assured the attendant, "We are just…getting ready."

"Just don't tell Taichou what else we were doing or we're both gonna get it!" Renji whispered conspiratorially.

Kuri and Renji exchanged glances, snickering softly as they hastily reclaimed their clothes that had been scattered all over the floor. In the midst of dressing, a thought occurred to the Shima leader and he glanced at Renji questioningly. Renji looked back at him curiously.

"What? Is something wrong?" Renji asked.

Kuri stared for a moment longer, then shook his head and continued dressing.

"No," he answered, "It was nothing."

 _After all, breeder males are very rare, even among the noble families. It is even more rare for a peasant to have a breeder male in his ancestry. The chances are almost non-existent. Hideaki was an exception…_

 _I am sure it will be fine._

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya reclined on a picnic blanket, his back against a tree and with Kitsune's head rested in his lap, as the trader dozed peacefully. Around the two, children laughed and splashed in the nearby river and the gathered townspeople worked at the mountain of food that had been provided for the festival. Kitsune drifted more deeply into sleep, his mind moving to that place that he tried never to allow himself to go. Instead of lying in the gentle shade, and in Tetsuya's lap, he felt darkness swell around him and stronger, more insistent arms holding him.

" _You know," he chuckled, "the bonds aren't really necessary. I'm not trying to get away, and I'm certainly not going to be scared of you…Sousuke."_

" _Of course not," Aizen answered calmly, laying a kido restraint across his slim abdomen, "Not someone like you. I just like the way they look on you, Gin. Silver and gold. It's lovely."_

" _I don't think anyone's ever used that word to describe me," Gin mused, looking down at his too thin and, to his mind, much too pale, body, "You do remember where we both grew up? We're not like the nobles, not pretty or perfect. Nothing we do will ever change the poorer blood that runs through us, ne?"_

" _Nothing needs to," Aizen said, offering Gin several slow drops of wine that fell from a glass he held over his bound lover, "In a matter of months, what blood is in our veins won't matter at all. All that will matter is that we will be what they fear most."_

 _Gin felt an odd chill in his belly that persisted, even as he calmly detached from his body, barely feeling as Aizen began his conquest._

 _This is for Rangiku, Gin reminded himself, this pain, this lie, this suffering. I will get it back from this monster on top of me. And I will send Aizen Sousuke to the death he deserves…_

 _Shivers ran down his spine as a chorus of whispers sounded in his head._

" _You are mine. Remember that you gave yourself to me of your own free will…and what I will do if you ever forget that…Gin."_

Kitsune sucked in a sharp breath and sat up suddenly, earning a questioning look from Tetsuya.

"Are you all right, Kitsune-san?" the blue-eyed man asked, frowning, "Did you have a bad dream?"

"It was nothing," Kitsune assured him, looking around them and finding only friendly, smiling faces and people enjoying the lovely first day of spring.

"It's almost time for the joining ceremonies," Tetsuya said shyly, looking down at his lovely blue and silver kimono, "Are you sure that you want to do this, Kitsune-san? We could wait."

Aizen's calm voice sounded again in his mind, freezing his insides for a moment.

" _You are mine. Remember that you gave yourself to me of your own free will…and what I will do if you ever forget that…Gin."_

"Why should we wait?" Kitsune said blithely, "That only gives us less days of married bliss, Tetsuya-san. Why would we want that?"

Tetsuya laughed softly and hugged the silver-haired man tightly.

"You're right. We should go now. They are starting to gather the couples."

Kitsune helped Tetsuya to his feet and the two walked, hand-in-hand, back to the town square, where a number of couples waited on a large stage that had been set up for the night's entertainment.

"Ah, Kitsune-san! Tetsuya-san!" Eshima greeted them, "Over here. I will be your witness."

"Arigato, Eshima-san," Tetsuya said, blushing.

"And thank you for helping me pick out something so perfect for my Tetsuya-san," Kitsune said, smiling and standing back to admire the way the late afternoon sun lit the silver swirls on the fine blue fabric.

Eshima nodded.

"But he would have made anything look beautiful," she insisted, "He is as lovely as any of the nobles of the Seireitei!"

Kitsune and Tetsuya exchanged sly glances and laughed softly.

"I agree," Kitsune answered, squeezing Tetsuya's hand.

"And you look very charming with your hair let down and those colors," the shopkeeper said, touching the gold lined sleeve of the royal purple kimono Kitsune wore, "But it needs something."

She captured the long strands on the sides and drew them to the back, weaving them into a thin braid, then placing several tiny flowers in the braid. She turned back to Tetsuya and wove a line of small blue flowers into the wavy strands of his hair.

"There, now you both look ready," Eshima said happily, "And it looks like it's time."

"Will the marrying couples and witnesses please take their places?" the town justice requested.

Kitsune felt Tetsuya's hand tremble softly in his, and he turned his head to look at his fiancé. As he did, a shaft of sunlight blinded him for a moment, and as his eyes began to recover, he glimpsed a startlingly familiar face in the crowd that gathered around the stage.

 _It can't be!_ The trader mused inwardly, _He is locked up in Muken. It isn't real. I am just…_

He gave Tetsuya an encouraging smile, listening and responding as expected as the town justice read a blessing over the couples, then guided them through their vows. He stole glances at the crowd, but found no sign of the bespectacled man he had seen before.

 _Why would he come here anyway? Even if he did escape, he would focus on staying free and resuming his plans to overthrow the king. He thinks I am dead, like everyone else does…_

He smiled warmly as the justice invited the newlywed couples to seal their marriages with a kiss. His lips captured Tetsuya's gently and his eyes opened wider to look into his new husband's. Kitsune felt an inward jolt as he spotted Aizen's bespectacled reflection on the surfaces of Tetsuya's damp eyes. He swallowed hard and kept his lips smiling.

 _This is just because of how he threatened me. He isn't here. He is locked up and rotting in that prison._

 _He can't be here._

He took slow breaths, moving easily with Tetsuya as the couples were announced, one by one and then they were invited to dance their first dance upon the stage. Kitsune's heart ached at how beautiful, how perfect it was, holding Tetsuya against him and moving with the music.

"I love you, Tetsuya," he whispered into his hsuband's ear, making the soft lobe blush in reaction, "No matter what happens, that will always be true."

"I love you too, Kitsune, " Tetsuya answered, finally dropping the honorific as was expected, now that they were married.

Kitsune spotted several shinigami soldiers in the crowd and carefully turned Tetsuya away from them. The two finished the dance, then descended the steps and joined the throng of dancers for several livelier tunes.

 _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I don't know if Tetsuya might be recognized by any of them. I don't remember ever seeing him with Byakuya, but…_

Kitsune smiled and stopped dancing, earning a curious look from Tetsuya.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning close to the trader to be heard over the music.

"Oh nothing," Kitsune assured him, "I just don't know if I want to dance anymore. I'm so full from the picnic and to be honest, I am thinking about _tonight_."

He sighed contentedly, brushing his fingers against Tetsuya's flushed cheek.

"It will be our first time together."

Tetsuya laughed.

"But we've been together before," he reminded the trader.

"Of course," Kitsune agreed, recovering quickly, "I meant that it would be the first time we were together as spouses."

"Oh, right," Tetsuya laughed anxiously, "I'm also happy that I will be with you."

"Are you sure," Kitsune asked, patting his face, "You look a little scared, Tetsuya. You don't need to be. I won't ever hurt you. I would rather die."

"Kitsune," Tetsuya whispered, meeting his husband for a long bout of passionate kisses.

"W-we should take a little walk along the river first," Kitsune suggested, gently breaking free of Tetsuya and taking his hand, "The moon is lovely tonight."

Tetsuya froze, in his mind a hazy image forming of a tall, beautiful man with raven black hair and deep grey eyes.

"Are you all right, Tetsuya?" Kitsune asked, nuzzling his cheek.

"F-fine," Tetsuya answered, blinking until the image of the man disappeared, "It was…just dust in my eyes."

"Come along," Kitsune invited him, "We have some moongazing to do."


	6. The Veil

**Chapter 6: The Veil**

Tetsuya watched with widened eyes as Kitsune touched a key card to the reader on the huge oak door that led to the royal suite of the White Emperor's Inn. He was left speechless for several moments as he was stricken with the view of pale, glossy wood with intricate carvings along the massive room's moldings, white pillars topped with lovely swan heads that gazed down at them through shining black eyes, a bed so lush with pretty blue satin sheets and soft blankets, he ached to sink into it at once, and a welcome bar with a feast of foods and tasters of expensive ales and brews.

"Kitsune!" Tetsuya managed finally, "However did you afford this place? It is…magnificent. I've never been inside a place so beautiful."

"Oh, now, you don't really know if that's true at all, do you?" Kitsune teased, tousling his new husband's misbehaving hair.

"I lived in a prison for most of my life," Tetsuya laughed, rolling his eyes, "When would I ever have set foot somewhere so like a palace?"

"Where, indeed?" Kitsune breathed softly, thinking of the atrocities of opulence that many of the noble clans put on display in their homes, "So, you like it, Tetsuya?"

"Do I like it?" Tetsuya repeated wonderingly, "It is _amazing_! But I can't let you do this. This must have cost half of your savings."

"I will tell you what," Kitsune said, embracing him, "I will make you another deal, now that marriage has cancelled out our other. Promise me that you will love me and stay with me forever, and it will be more than enough to pay for a night in this very expensive palace room."

Tetsuya's laughter warmed Kitsune inside, igniting an intense hunger for his pretty mate's smiling lips.

"Deal," Tetsuya managed as Kitsune's mouth fastened on his.

Kitsune nudged the door closed behind them and teased Tetsuya's feisty mouth with a wicked, probing tongue. The two made their way to the bed and stood beside it, kissing more passionately. Kistsune worked swiftly at freeing Tetsuya from his lovely blue kimono as Tetsuya's slender hands eagerly returned the favor. In moments, the two men were naked and exchanging more fervent kisses.

"Oh!" Tetsuya gasped as Kitsune playfully tackled him and brought him down on the bed.

He made a more lusty exclamation as Kitsune's slim body fell down on top of his, and the two rubbed sensuously against each other, their fingers sliding over bared expanses of soft, white flesh. Their kisses became rougher and more hungry as Kitsune's hand slid down along Tetsuya's inner thigh and the younger man parted them readily. Warm fingers slipped between Tetsuya's parted lips and were bathed in warm saliva. Kitsune watched Tetsuya's hazy blue eyes for any sign of pain or fear as he began a slow preparation, but all that Tetsuya's eyes reflected was deep, compelling affection and quickly rising lust.

 _Such a treasure_ , Gin mused, brushing his face against Tetsuya's as he shifted his body in preparation to enter the younger man, _The Rukongai and Aizen stole my innocence. I don't remember ever being innocent. How is it that someone like Tetsuya, who was imprisoned and treated so badly would still be able to radiate such beautiful, sweet innocence? I would say that it was because he can't remember the torment, but some part of me knows that isn't true. It is something unique to him, and it is something that I wish so much that I could have found before I was ruined. I don't know how many days we will have. I suppose, eventually, I will have to come clean with him about everything. I only hope that when I do, he will be able to forgive me. I don't deserve his forgiveness. I've been horrible, making it so that he wouldn't remember, pretending we were together before and building this beautiful fantasy around us. I know it has to end, but I don't want him to hate me._

 _It's strange._

 _Other people's judgments of me never reached beneath my skin. And if they started to, I just shed the skin and went on, never taking in their hatred. But, I think I couldn't bear it if Tetsuya hated me. Kami knows I deserve it for the cad I've been, but…_

"Kitsune, why did you stop?" Tetsuya asked suddenly, sending Kitsune's thoughts into a spin.

He looked down at Tetsuya's sweetly flushed face, his slender, lovely body and widespread thighs and he felt his guilt vanish.

 _I have come this far and I have built things up. I must at least give Tetsuya the most beautiful night of his life tonight, so that even though I will disappoint him, he will feel the truth in the way that I touch him, the way I love him, the way I devour him. My methods may have been underhanded, but I do love him. I want him to feel that all of the way from head to toe._

"I was just admiring you," he answered, smiling warmly as he positioned himself and began a slow, sensuous invasion.

Tetsuya's breath left him and his heart pounded wildly as, with Kitsune's unhurried entry, the nagging, slight edge of loneliness seemed to fade from inside him.

 _I feel so warm inside, so very full. I feel Kitsune's love in the hands that touch me, in the kisses he gives me, and in our joining. I still feel like something is bothering him, but I am sure he will share it when he is ready. For now, all we can feel is this beautiful connection between us._

The feeling of connection increased almost unbearably as they began to move together, surrounded in pleasant softness and comforting warmth, they gave themselves over to a flurry of hard, fast thrusts, deep, penetrating kisses and passionate caresses that made everything around them disappear for a moment as they looked into each other's widened eyes and moaned and shuddered in surrender.

Kitsune collapsed on top of Tetsuya, panting heatedly and covered in a sheen of sweat from their exertions. He remained unmoving for several minutes before he found the strength to slide down next to Tetsuya and pull him close. He treated his new husband's lips to a barrage of more tender kisses, watching Tetsuya drift off in his arms.

 _Perfect._

 _This dream has been perfect._

He felt a strange little catch in his heart and felt it quicken warningly.

 _What is it? What is this feeling that is nagging at me?_ Kitsune wondered, _I have been feeling it ever since we entered the town and I imagined seeing Sousuke at our wedding. I suppose it must be my imagination working overtime, because of what Sousuke said to me. It was frightening, and he was meaning to scare me. I usually brush things like that off, but it seems like I can't this time._

Kitsume's eyes closed and he extended his senses, seeking Aizen's reiatsu.

 _I know he's…_

He sucked in a surprised breath as a dark, familiar feeling passed over him.

 _It can't be…_

A shiver went through him as he tried again and met with the same result.

 _He is nearby and not moving._

 _He is waiting._

Kitsune shivered, his eyes locking on Tetsuya's beautiful, resting form.

 _Sousuke won't hesitate to kill him. And since my earlier vision of him was probably real, he knows Tetsuya and I were married…not that it will stop him for a minute if he wants me back with him._

 _But why would he want me?_

 _I tried to kill the man. We both saw how that turned out. He tore me apart and left me to die. Why would he want me back after that? Does he just want to take a slower revenge? Is this so he can enjoy hurting me?_

 _Whatever it is, I can't let Tetsuya be pulled in. I will have to go to Sousuke, but I will give Tetsuya back his memories. I also need to warn him not to follow. Probably just the knowledge that I lied to him and tricked him into marrying me will shock him enough to keep him from wanting to come after me. I hope it does. I don't want him anywhere near this._

Kitsune leaned over Tetsuya, touching his face gently and infusing his body with calming reiatsu that would ensure he stayed asleep. He spent several long minutes, holding and kissing Tetsuya, whispering the truth to him and doing something he had never dove before, recording his words into a hell butterfly.

"I am truly sorry for the hurt all of this will cause you," he apologized genuinely, "I don't suppose it helps to say that what I feel for you is real. If it wasn't, I would selfishly try to keep you with me. But I know Sousuke better than you do, Tetsuya. He is a horrible, wicked man and he is dreadfully powerful. What Sousuke wants, he usually gets. And right now, he has come here to collect me, for whatever purpose. I am sorry. I wish that we could have more time. I have loved every minute with you as your Kitsune. But, you must understand that he was a lie. It was a cover to protect me from Central 46 and everyone else who was glad that Ichimaru Gin died. Just know that our time together was the only beauty in my life. I love you, Tetsuya. I will love you until Sousuke kills me."

He left the hell butterfly hovering in the air, then touched Tetsuya's face again and carefully retouched the lines of Tetsuya's memories. He kissed his husband one last time, then pulled away and slipped out the window, into the night.

Tetsuya's body shimmered softly with the return of his memory. His reiatsu radiated around him as he slept, reaching across the distance and finally connecting with the senses of the ones searching for him, so that they turned and headed quickly in his direction.

Kitsune fled the hotel and made his way to the edge of town, his heart pounding painfully and his mind filling with dread. He felt Aizen's presence strongly now and knew better than to keep the man waiting. He came to a small, moonlit rise and saw the silhouette of his worst nightmare in front of him, turned away and looking up into the night sky.

"Hello, Gin," Aizen greeted him.

Gin shivered as it seemed the the very blood in his veins turned to ice.

"You can imagine my surprise at feeling your reiatsu as I escaped my captors in the Seireitei. I, of course, came at once to see you. I was even more surprised to see how you had forgotten me and married another. For a moment, I wanted to kill you both, then and there."

Gin stood perfectly still, staring in horrified fascination as Aizen turned to face him.

"But if I killed you, I couldn't make you truly regret the insult to me, could I?"

"Is that why you're here?" Gin asked, "It wasn't enough that you made it so that, even though I lived, I had to die? I gave up everything that mattered to me and I am just trying to live a normal, quiet life. I have nothing that you need. And I know you hate me. Was it really worth the effort to ruin my life a second time? I think tearing off my arm and stabbing me through the heart was enough, don't you? Why did you come here, Sousuke?"

Aizen glared at Gin and opened his top, baring his chest and the hougyoku. Gin gasped in shock as he spotted the long crack across the clear, crystal surface.

"The hougyoku has been damaged," Aizen said calmly, "and you, Gin, are going to help me to fix it."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya rose out of sleep slowly and found himself wrapped warmly in soft blankets and so comfortable he couldn't remember feeling a sensation anything like it. But, as his senses returned, he found a deep confusion falling over him as two competing realities struck at him from different directions. He sat up quickly, then felt his head going into a discomfited spin. A sound of distress escaped him and he grabbed his head, struggling to make sense of what had happened.

 _He lied to me._

 _Kitsune was lying to me._

 _But, he wasn't Kitsune at all, was he?_

Tetsuya's eyes filled with devastated tears as he spotted the hell butterfly hovering near him and he nodded to spur the insect to deliver its message. He listened numbly as the message confirmed his worst fears, and the tears in the corners of his blue eyes leaked onto his face.

 _He has gone back to Aizen._

He stiffened suddenly at the realization.

 _Aizen Sousuke has escaped!_

 _I wonder if anyone has even realized._

He pulled his yukata around himself and started to exit the bed. As he moved, something struck the chamber door and it flew open. Byakuya, Ichigo, Renji and Shima Kurushimi burst through and into the room, then skidded to a stop, staring at him.

"Tetsuya," Byakuya said softly, moving forward and laying a hand on his cousin's face, " _Watashi no itoko_ , are you all right?"

Tetsuya wrapped his arms around Byakuya and buried his face in his cousin's shoulder.

"I am all right," he answered, sniffing softly, "I am fine. But, Byakuya-sama, you need to…"

"Tetsuya!" Ichigo exclaimed, stealing him from Byakuya and hugging him tightly, "Good to see you're all right."

"How in the hell did you get here?" Renji demanded, "We had no idea where you were. We looked all over for you before your reiatsu reappeared and we couldn't figure out how you just disappeared."

"We can talk about that later," Tetsuya said, looking up at Byakuya through worried eyes, "What you all need to know is that something important has happened."

The other's looked back at him questioningly.

"Aizen Sousuke has escaped."

"What do you mean, Tetsu-hana?" Kuri asked, "Aizen was picked up from the battlefield and he was returned to Muken. Everyone saw this. We were all there."

"It was a lie," Tetsuya insisted, "I don't know how. He must have used his illusions, but Aizen was here, in this town, tonight! The one who rescued me and healed me was compelled to go with him."

"That's just not possible," Ichigo mused, "I saw Aizen too. He even mentioned that it was good he had never used Kyouka Suigetsu to hypnotize me. He…"

"He probably took that moment, or another after the battle to hypnotize you," Byakuya suggested, "The rest of the taichous and fukutaichous had already been hypnotized. I would not put it past Aizen Sousuke to do something like this. But, Tetsuya, you must tell me everything you can. First of all, who is this person who saved you? Who brought you here?"

Tetsuya bit his lip gently and summoned the hell butterfly to him, then indicated for it to repeat its message. The others stood, stunned as they listened to Gin's apology and warning.

"Holy shit," Renji said softly, "He survived all of that damage?"

"He left the Seireitei and, apparently, he has been living as a trader, quite peacefully," Tetsuya explained, "He found me in the wreckage of Kuchiki Manor, and he saved my life. I was badly injured and…I…didn't know who I was for a while."

"That would account for your reiatsu not radiating properly," Byakuya surmised.

"But something here doesn't make sense," Ichigo said, frowning, "Aizen tried to kill Gin before, because Gin betrayed him. Gin was never really with Aizen. He always wanted to kill him. Why would Aizen want Gin now? Wouldn't he just take his revenge and leave Gin dead this time?"

"One would think," Byakuya agreed.

"Although that Aizen is one sick puppy," Kuri mused, "He could want to hurt him and then kill him."

Tetsuya's expression changed suddenly to register alarm, making Kuri backpedal swiftly.

"I am sure that he would not kill him right away," he added.

Byakuya looked more closely at Tetsuya, then at the room they were gathered in.

"Tetsuya, will you tell me what exactly is your relationship with Ichimaru Gin?" he asked quietly.

Tetsuya's head bowed and a blush ran over his comely features.

"Byakuya-sama, I never knew he was Ichimaru Gin. I knew him only as Kitsune, a trader who rescued me from the ruins of our home. We entered the Rukongai and he and I were continuing his work together. It was during this time, he confessed his love to me and, yesterday, we were married."

Byakuya stared at his cousin wordlessly for a moment.

"You married Ichimaru Gin?"

"I married the man I knew as Kitsune," Tetsuya persisted, "And while we were together, he never did anything wrong. He never did anything that would have helped Aizen."

"Except for the part about him lying to you," Kuri pointed out gently.

"What do you think he would do?" Tetsuya reasoned, "Central 46 knew that Gin only went with Aizen to try to kill him. Both Rangiku and Ichigo gave testimony about knowing that fact. But Central 46 would not forgive him. They would not even let him be buried in the Seireitei. What choice did he have but to lie? He was just trying to survive. It is hurtful that he didn't tell me, but I understand what led him to hold back the truth. And the more important thing is that he revealed to us that Aizen has escaped and has taken Gin with him. No one knew Aizen had escaped, and you still would not know if he hadn't informed us!"

"That is true," Byakuya agreed, "But, this has to be handled carefully. We don't want Aizen to know that we know he is free. We need to try to track them."

"That's going to be fun," Kuri sighed, "How are we going to do that?"

Tetsuya looked down at his slim belly and let a hand rest there.

"Kitsune… _Gin_ didn't know that I am a breeder male. He didn't know that, last night, we made a baby. And while I am carrying his child, I can sense his direction so that we can track him."

Byakuya inhaled sharply, his face paling slightly with realization.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, glancing from Byakuya to Tetsuya and back again.

"What is wrong," Kuri answered, "is that Central 46 is not going to accept the Tetsu-hana is having the child of one who has been convicted of high treason. If they capture Tetsu-hana, he will be forced to abort their child."


	7. Little Snake

**Chapter 7: Little Snake**

 **(Another for Gin's birthday month!)**

"You are quiet, Gin," Aizen observed, "You look distracted. Are you still thinking about that young man? Kuchiki Tetsuya?"

Gin felt a little shiver pass through his insides.

"You know him?" he asked, frowning, "You never mentioned a Kuchiki Tetsuya to me while we were comrades."

Aizen gave him a chilling smile.

"There is a lot that I chose not to discuss with you back then."

"You were good at keeping secrets," Gin remembered.

"Some of them," Aizen agreed, turning them away from the Seireitei and pausing.

"Will you open a garganta? I do not want to advertise either that I have escaped or that I am not yet at full strength."

He grabbed Gin's arm roughly, glaring into his eyes meaningfully.

"I am still strong enough to kill you if you do anything to interfere with me. I do not need my full powers to be dangerous to you…or anyone else I target."

"A barely veiled threat," Gin said, his frown deepening, "You will kill Tetsuya if I do not cooperate. What you do not say is that you are going to kill us both, even if I do. If you want me to be motivated to help you, then you are going to have to give me some reassurance that you won't hurt Tetsuya or me. I can't imagine how you will do that. Remember, I know you. I know how you operate."

Aizen's smile grew into a wicked grin.

"It doesn't matter what you know and it doesn't matter if you trust me. You have no choice but to assist me or you and Tetsuya can die right now."

"Now, if that was true, then why would you have looked for me to begin with?" Gin said, smirking slightly, "There is a reason you came after me, a reason that you thought I was needed to fix the hougyoku. Start talking, or I will just put you in a position where you'll be required to carry out your threat and I sense that's not exactly what you want."

A flare of excitement lit Aizen's brown eyes and he moved closer to Gin to whisper in his ear.

"You are astute, as usual, my little snake. But…you need to understand, you are in no position to thwart my wishes. In fact, you are in the palm of my hand right now."

"What are you talking about?" Gin asked, his frown deepening, "Do you just mean that I am your captive?"

"You are my slave," Aizen hissed softly, kissing the silver-haired man's earlobe, "You will do what I say because…Kuchiki Tetsuya…is pregnant."

Gin's eyes opened and rotated to meet Aizen's in surprise.

"He…?"

"I happened to indulge in some studies that were of a sort that wasn't appropriate for a Seireitei laboratory, early on in my preparations," Aizen explained, "And while I was conducting some experiments on the inhabitants of Itamigiri…"

" _You_ were there? When Tetsuya…?"

"I was there and actually ran a number of studies and experiments on Kuchiki Tetsuya," Aizen confessed, "I was fascinated, because breeder males are extremely rare, and they have characteristics that could be useful. I paid a guard on the inside of the prison to watch out for Tetsuya, to make sure he survived, and to kill Kuchiki Orochi when Byakuya finally carried through on his plans to storm the prison and rescue the prisoners."

"You…" Gin whispered in a shocked tone.

"It seems that the guard was not careful enough and he was killed by Orochi during the escape. Byakuya retrieved Kuchiki Tetsuya, and nursed him back to health. He remains a source of interest to me, and I suppose I could let him live and join us. But, if you do not help me to restore the hougyoku, I will make sure that both Tetsuya and your developing child die by my hand, and in front of you, before I deprive you of your wretched life."

Gin stared back at him silently for several long moments.

"You are still the monster I remember," he managed finally.

"And you are still the nasty little serpent I need to get what I want," Aizen added, "You know, you and I can both get what we need, Gin. All you must do is to follow my instructions to the letter and your interests and mine will be protected."

 _No way is he going to let Tetsuya, me or the baby live_ , Gin mused inwardly, _But some part of me still stupidly wants to believe I can beat him. I should have learned before. I can't beat a god. So, I have to find a way to destroy the hougyoku. It's damaged. Maybe, just maybe there is a way to shatter it completely_!

"What is your decision, Gin?" Aizen asked calmly, his reiatsu flickering warningly.

 _Too bad I'm the only one he's not hiding it from_.

Gin shuddered very slightly and his head bowed. Aizen gave him a surprised look.

"Capitulation so soon," the traitor mused, "Why Gin, you must truly care for that young man."

Gin gave him a look of pure hatred.

"If anything happens to Tetsuya or our child…" he began.

"Now Gin," Aizen said warningly, "you don't want to issue a threat like that. We both know there is nothing you can do to defeat me. I think I made myself clear before."

"You mean when you meant to kill me and I lived?" Gin said saucily, earning a scathing look from Aizen, "I think your position's not as strong as you say, but don't worry. I'll help you. I want Tetsuya and my baby to live. If that means I have to help you, I'll do it."

"A prudent choice," Aizen said dryly, his dark eyes promising death, "Now then, come with me."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya sat quietly on the back of his paint stallion, with Tetsuya seated in front of him and their eyes combing the area around them for signs of Gin or Aizen's recent passage. Ichigo walked alongside the spirit steed, his eyes wary as he scanned the trees and brush they passed. Kuri and Renji scouted in a wider circle around them as the group moved forward together. As they reached the top of a small rise, Tetsuya made a little sound of surprise and worry.

"What is it, _watashi no itoko_?" Byakuya asked quickly, "Did you sense him?"

"Yes," Tetsuya affirmed, sliding down off his cousin's horse and closing his eyes as he drew a slow breath, focusing carefully on the faint trail of reiatsu, "They were here."

Byakuya dismounted and carefully studied the ground and the reiatsu traces in the air.

"There are no signs of struggle, nor do I sense any hint that a struggle was concealed."

"But then, we are speaking about Aizen Sousuke," Tetsuya reminded him, "He could have hidden something with his illusions."

"Well, there's something he didn't hide," Ichigo said, moving to Byakuya's side, "You know I have an inner hollow. He's sensing the recent opening of a garganta here."

"They've gone back to Hueco Mundo," Byakuya concluded, "I suppose it makes sense. It was Aizen's seat of power, and he would have made sure that there were places for him to go and supplies he would need, in case his plans failed."

"Huh," Ichigo huffed, frowning, "I don't know. That guy was so damned cocky, do you really think he would have felt the need to have backup plans like that?"

"It is hard to say," Byakuya concluded, "However, knowing that he slipped into Hueco Mundo, we must try to follow him and determine what his plans are."

Tetsuya gave him a guarded look that made Ichigo frown curiously.

"What is it? Something's up, isn't it? What's going on?" he asked.

Byakuya received a momentary respite from answering as Renji and Kuri emerged from the trees and joined them on the rise.

"Did you find anything?" the noble asked quickly.

"Nothing," Renji reported.

" _Nada_ ," Kuri agreed, "They didn't leave this hilltop on foot."

Byakuya nodded.

"Ichigo sensed a garganta has been recently opened here," he informed the others.

"Who's up for a trip to the hollow world?" Ichigo said, narrowing his eyes.

The shinigami substitute noticed immediately that the looks Renji and Kuri exchanged seemed to mirror the ones that he had seen Tetsuya and Byakuya wearing earlier.

"What is it with you guys?" he asked, scowling, "We are going after them, right?"

"It isn't such an easy decision for my cousin and his fukutaichou and our friend, Shima taichou," Tetsuya cautioned him.

"What do you mean? Why?" Ichigo demanded, "Aizen's a monster, and he's forced the guy you just married to go with him. Shouldn't stopping him be a pretty big priority?"

"It is," Byakuya assured him, "However, the situation is more complicated."

"It's not complicated!" Ichigo argued, "Aizen's gonna get stronger and harder to beat the longer we let him run around free. And he must have a plan in mind if he's gone to the trouble of capturing Gin, right?"

"He is correct about that, Byakurai," Kuri agreed, "That does suggest an urgency that could give us a precedent for not immediately returning to make our report."

"What's the hurry to make a damned report?" Ichigo complained, "Shouldn't it be more important to keep track of Aizen's movements?"

"That is important," Byakuya assured him, "and we will do that."

"But what we're all worried about has to do with orders we have to follow about the situation we're in," Renji added.

"Oh my god, please don't tell me that all of you are gonna start preaching to me about rules and regulations," snapped Ichigo, "Gin's been kidnapped and Aizen's about to start some sinister crap. If we sit around talking about the rules we've gotta follow, he's going to get away!"

"Ichigo," Byakuya said sternly, his tone making the agitated ginger glare at him warningly, "I assure you, we all want to see Aizen stopped and returned to Muken. We are also motivated by the fact that Tetsuya is going to need infusions of reiatsu to keep his own and the baby's in balance. Those infusions can be managed by others to an extent, but the risks involved are substantially decreased when the infusions are given by the father of the child."

"So, if that's true, then why aren't we already going after Aizen?" Ichigo asked impatiently.

"It's not because we don't want to," Renji explained, "Look, the rules about an escaped felon who has committed treason and escaped Muken require that we immediately notify Kyouraku Soutaichou about Aizen's escape and turn any important witnesses over to Squad One."

"That's a problem," Kuri added, "because as he married Ichimaru Gin, even unwittingly, Tetsu-hana is a material witness."

"And as soon as I am given into Kyouraku Soutaichou's hands, he will have me fully debriefed and examined," Tetsuya continued, "They will learn of my pregnancy. And as soon as they learn that I was impregnated by a man convicted of treason and thought dead, they will be required to report it to Central 46, who will order the pregnancy terminated."

Ichigo's breath caught as Tetsuya's eyes filled with tears.

"I know that Ichimaru Gin committed several terrible crimes," Tetsuya reasoned, "and given that he almost killed both Byakuya-sama and Rukia-chan, I should feel nothing for him! But…I was with him and he was nothing like the man he used to be. He was kind and he took care of me when he could have just walked away and left me to die. He never asked me for anything! And even if it wasn't for that, the child I am carrying is not just his. This child is a part of me! I can't let them take my baby. I can't!"

"And I won't let them, Tetsuya. I promise you," Ichigo said fervently.

"But to protect Tetsu-hana and his child, we must make sure that we move carefully," Kuri said sternly, "The rules do say that we should have two of us stay here to pursue Aizen and the others should return to the Seireitei to make a personal report and to turn Tetsu-hana over to Squad One for debriefing, but…"

"The fact that Aizen found Gin, a man he once tried to kill and who tried to kill him, and he took Gin to the former seat of his power…" Byakuya mused, "That could be just enough precedent to send a hell butterfly with a report of a volatile situation, and a claim that the witness we've collected is needed to help us retrieve Aizen."

"The catch," said Renji, "is that we need to actually catch Aizen before we go back. As long as Aizen has Gin, and he is on the loose, Tetsuya is vulnerable."

"Then, what are you waiting for?" Ichigo asked again, his eyes determined, "Send the hell butterfly and let's get going before Shunsui figures out we're up to something!"

Byakuya gave the ginger-haired man a piqued look, but quickly breathed a message to a hell butterfly, then nodded to the others.

"We need to leave now," he said firmly, "We must cross into Hueco Mundo before Soutaichou reads the message and may question it."

"I've got this," Ichigo chuckled, extending a hand and letting the hollow inside him rise to the surface, making his eyes glow bright golden.

The shinigamis watched appreciatively as the black rift formed, making a tearing sound as it opened the way into Hueco Mundo. Tetsuya mounted Ikazuchi and led the way into the dark corridor with Renji and Kuri at his side. Byakuya held back slightly, waiting as Ichigo passed through and closed the garganta behind them. He waited until the younger man's eyes had returned to their normal golden brown to speak.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo turned curious eyes on the noble.

"I want to thank you," Byakuya said sincerely, "I know that our adherence to the rules does not sit well with you sometimes. I hope you also know that I care very much for my cousin and I am relieved that there is a way to protect him…but…even if there wasn't…"

Byakuya broke off for a moment, unsure about how to continue. Ichigo gave him a more gentle smile.

"I know. You would've followed the orders, but you would've also given me a chance to protect Tetsuya like you want to. I've seen you do that before…look away at the right time…allow something to escape you."

"I cannot always act on my emotions as you do," the noble continued, "but you seem to understand where my heart is."

Ichigo's smile warmed meltingly, making Byakuya's heart pound strangely and sending a bright flush roaring over his face. He felt Ichigo's hand touch his very lightly and, for a moment, he lost all power to move.

"You know?" Ichigo breathed into his ear, "You're really something, Byakuya. You're not like anyone else I know. Sometimes I wanna kill you, but times like right now? I wanna…"

Byakuya remained frozen in place as the ginger-haired man brushed warm lips against his.

"S-sorry," Ichigo managed, starting to pull away.

He made a sound of surprise as Byakuya's hands took hold of him and the noble's soft, hungry lips impacted heatedly with his. It was several minutes before the two could separate themselves and, when they did, they noticed the others standing in the distance, waiting with their eyes carefully averted.

"I know you said we should wait for our first real date," Ichigo chuckled, "I just…"

He was made forcefully silent as Byakuya weakened his knees with a mind-numbingly beautiful kiss, then released him and watched as he nearly collapsed before recovering himself.

"I do not need a first date or any other excuse to kiss you, Kurosaki Ichigo," Byakuya said warmly, "I apologize for not seeming more receptive before, but I was not sure if you were sincerely interested in me or if it was just that you were still dizzy and out of your mind."

Ichigo giggled in spite of himself.

"What do you think now?" he asked, smirking.

He pulled Byakuya into another seething kiss before the spellbound noble could answer. Byakuya reeled at how Ichigo's kisses made everything else disappear and the truth tumble off of his lips before he could stop it.

"I think I am falling in love with you."

Ichigo hugged him tightly and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Was that so hard to admit?" he snickered, "You know how you've gotten to me."

"Yes, you are increasingly more giddy by the moment. But…we do need to stop this and focus on the search for Aizen Sousuke."

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed in a regretful tone, "Just…promise me that when this is all over, you'll really go out with me and we'll kiss some more, okay?"

Byakuya gave him a smoky look of challenge.

"I suppose that depends on how well you keep your promises to protect my cousin and his child."

Ichigo's eyes lost their levity and met Byakuya's squarely.

"I will protect Tetsuya and his baby with my life…just like I'll always protect you."


End file.
